https://sputnikglobe.com/20221118/president-macron-says-france-rejects-hegemony--confrontation-in-asia-pacific-region-1104376854.html
President Macron Says France Rejects 'Hegemony & Confrontation' in Asia-Pacific Region
President Macron Says France Rejects 'Hegemony & Confrontation' in Asia-Pacific Region
Sputnik International
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is attending the two-day annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (AFEC) forum that began on 18 November in Bangkok... 18.11.2022, Sputnik International
2022-11-18T13:04+0000
2022-11-18T13:04+0000
2022-11-18T13:04+0000
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Emmanuel Macron has insisted that France is seeking to play an increasingly stabilizing role in the Asian-Pacific region, as he addressed a gathering of some of the world's most prominent business leaders on the sidelines of the two-day annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (AFEC) forum in Bangkok, Thailand. The French President expanded on his country's Indo-Pacific strategy, which has overseas territories in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, such as Reunion, New Caledonia and French Polynesia, as tailored to boost a "dynamic balance" in an environment facing a host of challenges, ranging from climate change to US-China tensions.Underscoring that more than one-third of non-European Union exports from France head towards the Asia-Pacific region, the president said:Macron has been making an effort to reboot France's strategy in the region after the humiliation of AUKUS. On 17 November, the French leader urged enhanced cooperation with Indonesia on warplanes and submarines on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Bangkok. Macron indicated the series of arms purchase agreements struck between Paris and Jakarta earlier in the year, such as the February deal worth $8.1Bln for Jakarta to buy 42 Rafale fighter jets, produced by Dassault Aviation. Indonesia is also to order two diesel-electric Scorpene-class attack submarines.Again on 17 November, Macron was cited as indicating at the APEC forum that the ditched submarine-building deal for Australia wasn't about confrontation with China.France was left mortified after the announcement was made in September 2021 of a trilateral defense partnership called AUKUS - comprising Australia, the US, and the UK - resulting in the loss of a multi-billion dollar agreement with France's Naval Group to construct diesel-electric submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. The deal with France had been ditched by Canberra as the AUKUS pact offered it nuclear-powered submarine technology instead. At the time, Paris slammed the move as "backstabbing." 'Unmistakably Directed at China'Macron, resentful about the submarine deal with Australia being scuppered because of the secretly negotiated AUKUS pact, has interests in the Indo-Pacific, Dr Binoy Kampmark told Sputnik. The French Naval Group was originally to provide 12 diesel-powered submarines - based on a French nuclear model - to Australia. Macron is keenly aware of China’s growing assertiveness, with his primary focus the concern of confrontation arising from the unusual provision of nuclear technology for propulsion of submarines that will be operated by Australia, the senior lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, underscored.The AUKUS announcement further inflamed tensions in the South China Sea, as, albeit not mentioning China by name, the newly forged alliance was seen as part of a strategy to offset China's growing influence in the region. Beijing denounced the three-way security pact as "extremely irresponsible" risking "severely damaging regional peace... and intensifying the arms race". The security pact is unmistakably directed at China, Kampmark said, agreeing with the assessment given to the new alliance by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.There are problems with the new alliance, with Indonesia also openly expressing its concerns about the deal, including the proliferation of nuclear technology, albeit towards submarines supposedly conventionally deployed, the expert underscored.Weighing in on Macron’s recent remarks regarding Paris’ wish to expand military cooperation with Asian countries and building friendly relations and "stability" with China, the French President was seen by Kampmark as being limited in options.Macron obviously has his own agenda, the RMIT University senior lecturer said, acknowledging that Asian countries may, diplomatically, be able to use the presence of France in a constructive way. But no one in the region will forget France's colonial past, Kampmark warned.
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france, emmanuel macron, asia-pacific region, apec, asia-pacific economic cooperation (apec), aukus
france, emmanuel macron, asia-pacific region, apec, asia-pacific economic cooperation (apec), aukus
President Macron Says France Rejects 'Hegemony & Confrontation' in Asia-Pacific Region
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is attending the two-day annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (AFEC) forum that began on 18 November in Bangkok, Thailand.
Emmanuel Macron has insisted that
France is seeking to play an increasingly stabilizing role in the Asian-Pacific region, as he addressed a gathering of some of the world's most prominent business leaders on the sidelines of the two-day annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (AFEC) forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
"We don't believe in hegemony, we don't believe in confrontation, we believe in stability," Macron said at the APEC CEO Summit.
The French President expanded on his country's Indo-Pacific strategy, which has overseas territories in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, such as Reunion, New Caledonia and French Polynesia, as tailored to boost a "dynamic balance" in an environment facing a host of challenges, ranging from climate change to US-China tensions.
"We are in the jungle and we have two big elephants, becoming increasingly nervous. If they become very nervous and start war it will be a big problem for the rest of the jungle. You need the cooperation of a lot of other animals: tigers, monkeys, and so on," Macron said in his speech.
Underscoring that more than one-third of non-European Union exports from France head towards the Asia-Pacific region, the president said:
“What we need is to share strategy, to be very transparent and genuine to address these challenges and to cooperate. Because I’m sure that the only way to have a win-win game is to cooperate.”
17 November 2022, 13:56 GMT
Macron has been making an effort to reboot France's strategy in the region after the
humiliation of AUKUS. On 17 November, the French leader urged enhanced cooperation with Indonesia on warplanes and submarines on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Bangkok. Macron indicated the series of arms purchase agreements struck between Paris and Jakarta earlier in the year, such as the February deal worth $8.1Bln for Jakarta to buy 42 Rafale fighter jets, produced by Dassault Aviation. Indonesia is also to order two diesel-electric Scorpene-class attack submarines.
1 November 2022, 10:39 GMT
Again on 17 November, Macron was cited as indicating at the APEC forum that the ditched submarine-building deal for Australia wasn't about
confrontation with China.
France was left mortified after the announcement was made in September 2021 of a trilateral defense partnership called AUKUS - comprising Australia, the US, and the UK - resulting in the loss of a multi-billion dollar agreement with France's Naval Group to construct diesel-electric submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. The deal with France had been ditched by Canberra as the
AUKUS pact offered it nuclear-powered submarine technology instead. At the time, Paris slammed the move as "backstabbing."
'Unmistakably Directed at China'
Macron, resentful about the submarine deal with Australia being scuppered because of the secretly negotiated AUKUS pact, has interests in the Indo-Pacific, Dr Binoy Kampmark told Sputnik. The French Naval Group was originally to provide 12 diesel-powered submarines - based on a French nuclear model - to Australia.
Macron is keenly aware of China’s growing assertiveness, with his primary focus the concern of confrontation arising from the unusual provision of nuclear technology for propulsion of submarines that will be operated by Australia, the senior lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, underscored.
15 November 2022, 05:10 GMT
The AUKUS announcement further inflamed tensions in the South China Sea, as, albeit not mentioning China by name, the newly forged alliance was seen as part of a strategy to offset China's growing influence in the region. Beijing denounced the three-way security pact as "extremely irresponsible" risking "severely damaging regional peace... and intensifying the arms race".
The security pact is unmistakably directed at China, Kampmark said, agreeing with the assessment given to the new alliance by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
There are problems with the new alliance, with Indonesia also openly expressing its concerns about the deal, including the proliferation of nuclear technology, albeit towards submarines supposedly conventionally deployed, the expert underscored.
Weighing in on Macron’s recent remarks regarding Paris’ wish to expand military cooperation with Asian countries and building friendly relations and "stability" with China, the French President was seen by Kampmark as being limited in options.
Macron obviously has his own agenda, the RMIT University senior lecturer said, acknowledging that Asian countries may, diplomatically, be able to use the presence of France in a constructive way. But no one in the region will forget France's
colonial past, Kampmark warned.
9 November 2022, 05:46 GMT
