French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel made the above announcement at a maritime cooperation forum in Makati City (Philippines) on January 22, according to AFP News Agency. Ms. Fontanel said the visit of the French aircraft carrier strike group is completely consistent with the 2023 agreement between the defense agencies of the two countries.
French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
According to AFP, France is seeking to reaffirm its importance in the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, the Philippines is trying to strengthen relations with partners and allies in the context of the country’s territorial disputes related to the East Sea.
French Ambassador Fontanel added that the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group is expected to participate in a maritime exercise with the US in the Philippine Sea.
Over the years, the Philippines and France have seen significant growth in maritime security cooperation. In 2024 alone, France actively participated in the 39th Balikatan exercise and deployed a group of aircraft at Clark Air Base (Philippines) within the framework of Pegase 24 – the annual mission of the Force. French Air Force and Aerospace to the Indo-Pacific.
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Manila and Paris also plan to soon negotiate a defense treaty that would allow them to deploy troops to each other’s territory, similar to agreements between the Philippines and the United States and Japan.
Ms. Fontanel said: “Since President Emmanuel Macron announced the Indo-Pacific strategy in 2018, France has actively strengthened partnerships across the region. This strategy promotes dialogue and build consensus, providing a framework for resolving disputes”.
In addition to maritime security, Ms. Fontanel emphasized that Paris also wants to strengthen cooperation with Manila on maritime safety and marine environmental protection.
In another development, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is currently participating in the Le Perouse 2025 exercise, with the participation of 13 naval ships and more than 30 aircraft from France, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Canada, the US, and the UK. , India and Australia. According to The Manila Timesthe exercise took place from January 16 to 24 at some of the world’s important maritime trade routes.
