APEC summit: France wants to be an actor in the Indo-Pacific

“You are probably wondering what the French president is doing there. » Emmanuel Macron is ironic this Friday, November 18, in Bangkok (Thailand) to justify his presence at the APEC summit, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that brings together twenty countries, from China to the United States. Russia, Japan, Australia and Indonesia.

The great authorities, whom the head of state addresses in English, appreciate the joke with laughter. “very honorable”The French president boasted of being the first European leader to be invited by APEC before joining his counterparts including Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Vice President Kamala Harris at the giant convention center in the Thai capital. According to him, it is France “Country in the Region”. And this invitation, Elisha believes, “Confirms the Indo-Pacific strategy launched in 2018”.

In addition to the heated G20 debate over the war in Ukraine, the head of state took advantage of a visit to Bali, then Bangkok, this week to promote himself as a defense of that grassroots approach to fighting in September 2021. The failure was suffered by the cancellation of the sale of twelve French conventional submarines to Australia in favor of nuclear vessels promised by the United States and the United Kingdom. At the time, the emergence of the Aukus alliance caused a serious crisis of confidence between Paris and its American, British and Australian allies. “duality”. The moment of tension, which quickly flared with Washington, undermined Mr Macron’s initially very secure approach under arms contracts signed with Australia, India and Indonesia to supply them with Rafales, submarines or other frigates.

In Bali, the head of state still spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with whom France is seeking to renew its “strategic” partnership after the Labor leader was elected in May. Hours later, he admitted for the first time that Paris still had ambitions to sell submarines to Australia. This offer “It’s known it’s still on the table”He said and judging it “The British are incompetent” to supply competing devices and what the United States has “A Well-Filled Dance Card”. If Mr Albanese does not intend to disrupt the Aukus project, Mr Macron will also wait for things to become clearer before considering a new visit to Australia, if possible in the coming months.