Stronger together in the Indo-Pacific

This week, I ended my mission in the Philippines with renewed confidence of a stronger partnership between France and the Philippines. Our armed forces are committed to maintaining and defending a free and open Indo-Pacific based on international law and multilateralism.

France is a nation of the Indo-Pacific through its overseas territories, which include New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Mayotte, La Réunion and Wallis and Futuna, making it the only sovereign European power in the region. France also has the second largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the world, spanning 10.2 million sq km, more than 90 percent of which is located in the Indo-Pacific.

As Joint Commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific, it is my role to contribute to ensuring the security of the 1.6 million French citizens living in the region, as well as implementing France’s defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific. This includes fostering our relations with our partners in the region in order to ensure the respect of the UNCLOS and the freedom of navigation, to promote multilateralism and to struggle against nuclear proliferation.

France and the Philippines share common challenges in the region, such as responding to natural disasters, protecting the resources within our EEZs and addressing threats like illegal and unreported fishing, the trafficking of people, illegal drugs and arms, piracy, maritime terrorism and intentional damage to the marine environment. It is therefore essential for our two countries to continue to expand and deepen our cooperation.

During my discussions with Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice-Admiral Adeluis Bordado, Philippine Coast Guard Commander Vice-Admiral Artemio Abu, Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice-Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Erickson Gloria and Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Nichols Driz, I expressed France’s willingness to build a long-term partnership based on trust with the Philippines in the areas of defense and maritime security, particularly through technology transfer, training and information sharing.

Given the vastness of the area, it is essential for the Philippines to maintain a permanent maritime presence through maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and even submarines. In the area of technology transfer, I expressed France’s readiness to help our partners in improving the efficiency of their forces. We are not just selling equipment; we are helping our partners to gain autonomy. And we will do so on a long-term basis.

I also extended an invitation to the Philippine armed forces to participate in our joint exercises, such as the Marara exercise in Bora Bora focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR). Last November, we also attended together the Pacific Coast Guard Network Seminar, which aimed to strengthen information sharing between our forces and those of the ASEAN countries.

Discussions have also been initiated on the possibility of conducting joint patrols in our EEZs.

This week, the French frigate Vendémiaire returned to Manila for its routine port call from March 8 to 11. This visit not only aimed to demonstrate France’s commitment to freedom of navigation in accordance with international law, but also to build camaraderie and cooperation between our navies.

Together with French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz and Commander Alain Gaborit, we were honored to welcome Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to tour the vessel and interact with its crew.

A joint exercise focused on operational coordination in intercepting boats involved in illegal drugs also took place among the personnel of the Vendémiaire, the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, while also applying the IORIS information sharing system following training provided by EU CRIMARIO maritime domain awareness program.

The maintenance of an international rules-based order built on multilateralism and respect for sovereignty is as important as ever, especially in light of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Indeed, the consequences of this war affect us all, across the world and in the Indo-Pacific.

The European and Pacific theaters can be linked because Russia is also a nation of the Indo-Pacific and has a major base in Vladivostok. North Korea also supported Russia’s aggression by voting against the United Nations General Assembly resolution last March 2.

Although not directly engaged in this conflict, France, as a NATO member, must act with strategic solidarity. This is why France has deployed forces in Romania and Estonia, as well as provided over 100 million euros of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

In the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere, France acts to defend a rules-based international order. But we cannot do the job alone, which is why we must develop partnerships. We value our deepening relations with the Philippines and its armed forces, and look forward to working more closely for the security and prosperity of the region.

We are stronger together.

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Rear Admiral Jean-Mathieu Rey is the Joint Commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific.