 FRANCE RESEARCH

France sent warships to South China Sea ahead of joint exercises with US and Japan, after
its nuclear submarine conducted patrols

 Willingness to confront Beijing’s claims in the disputed waters reflects French

interests in the Indo-Pacific and plans to work with Quad nations

 he Chinese government has complained about France’s military activities in the disputed South
China Sea, after it sent warships there this month. France’s presence in the contested waters comes
at a time of increased activity by the American military that has provoked Beijing’s ire.
 What is France doing in the South China Sea?
 The French Navy in February began three months of training and patrols, sending amphibious
assault ship the Tonnerre and the frigate Surcouf from their home port in Toulon, southern France,
to the Pacific.
 The group will cross the South China Sea twice and take part in a joint military exercise with the
United States and Japan in May. France’s plans do not include transiting the Taiwan Strait.

Days before this training and patrol mission, French Defence Minister Florence
Parly said one of France’s nuclear attack submarines, Emeraude, had concluded a
patrol through the South China Sea. The passage was regarded as resistance to
Beijing’s assertive stance in the contested waters.

early said in 2019 at annual intergovernmental security forum the Shangri-La Dialogue that France would
continue to sail in the South China Sea at least twice a year. She urged like-minded countries to do
likewise, to ensure open access to the waters was maintained.

In 2019, Beijing made the rare move of accusing France of making an illegal entry into Chinese waters,
after its frigate Vendemiaire sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The French government called it a normal
operation that it had also conducted previously.
Is France’s presence in the Pacific a new thing?
French naval ships have been operating in the South China Sea for years. The present three-month mission
has been an annual event since 2015, while the country has carried out joint drills with Australia, Vietnam
and Malaysia – even if this was less eye-catching when the South China Sea was a less sensitive topic.

In 2015, France issued a joint declaration with the Philippines, saying both countries opposed “any
acquisition or claim” that was “in violation of international law”. This was considered to be aimed at
China.

The next year, French military vessels joined US aircraft carriers in patrolling in the South China Sea, after
Washington raised concerns about increasingly assertive Chinese territorial claims, including building
islands and installing weapons.

At that year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, France announced its intention to coordinate joint European Union
patrols in the contested waters, to promote freedom of navigation.

Why does the South China Sea concern France?

France has territories, and therefore exclusive economic zones around them, in the Indian Ocean and the
southern Pacific. It attaches great importance to its interests in the region and has forged close security ties
with countries there.

France followed the US in launching its own version of an Indo-Pacific strategy in 2018.

French amphibious assault ship the Tonnerre was sent to join three months of training and patrols in the
Pacific. Photo: Twitter
The Chinese government has complained about France’s military activities in the disputed South China
Sea, after it sent warships there this month. France’s presence in the contested waters comes at a time
of increased activity by the American military that has provoked Beijing’s ire.
What is France doing in the South China Sea?
The French Navy in February began three months of training and patrols, sending amphibious assault ship
the Tonnerre and the frigate Surcouf from their home port in Toulon, southern France, to the Pacific.

The group will cross the South China Sea twice and take part in a joint military exercise with the United
States and Japan in May. France’s plans do not include transiting the Taiwan Strait.

02:14

Japan-US hold joint military drills including cyberwarfare training as concerns about China grow
Japan-US hold joint military drills including cyberwarfare training as
concerns about China grow
Days before this training and patrol mission, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said one of France’s
nuclear attack submarines, Emeraude, had concluded a patrol through the South China Sea. The passage
was regarded as resistance to Beijing’s assertive stance in the contested waters.

Parly said in 2019 at annual intergovernmental security forum the Shangri-La Dialogue that France would
continue to sail in the South China Sea at least twice a year. She urged like-minded countries to do
likewise, to ensure open access to the waters was maintained.

In 2019, Beijing made the rare move of accusing France of making an illegal entry into Chinese waters,
after its frigate Vendemiaire sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The French government called it a normal
operation that it had also conducted previously.

Is France’s presence in the Pacific a new thing?

French naval ships have been operating in the South China Sea for years. The present three-month mission
has been an annual event since 2015, while the country has carried out joint drills with Australia, Vietnam
and Malaysia – even if this was less eye-catching when the South China Sea was a less sensitive topic.
South China Sea: the dispute that could start a military conflict
11 Aug 2020

In 2015, France issued a joint declaration with the Philippines, saying both countries opposed “any
acquisition or claim” that was “in violation of international law”. This was considered to be aimed at
China.

The next year, French military vessels joined US aircraft carriers in patrolling in the South China Sea, after
Washington raised concerns about increasingly assertive Chinese territorial claims, including building
islands and installing weapons.

At that year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, France announced its intention to coordinate joint European Union
patrols in the contested waters, to promote freedom of navigation.

Why does the South China Sea concern France?

France has territories, and therefore exclusive economic zones around them, in the Indian Ocean and the
southern Pacific. It attaches great importance to its interests in the region and has forged close security ties
with countries there.

France followed the US in launching its own version of an Indo-Pacific strategy in 2018.

00:22 / 00:25

Washington’s hardened position on Beijing’s claims in South China Sea

heightens US-China tensions

Along with other European countries, it has said repeatedly that freedom of navigation must be preserved
in the South China Sea, which is a critical route for global trade.
What is China’s response to the French military?
Beijing has been irritated by what it has seen as interference and provocation by the US military in recent
years, but it was largely restrained in its public criticism of the latest French operations.

Its foreign ministry said China respected all countries’ rights of freedom of navigation and overflight in the
South China Sea under international law, but opposed any country using freedom of navigation to
undermine China’s sovereignty or regional peace and stability.

State media has accused France of contributing to the US’ “anti-China stratagems” and said the European
country had no place in the South China Sea.

Analysts expect France to further reinforce its military presence in the waters to oppose Beijing’s territorial
claims.

France has been involved in the South China Sea dispute primarily as a supporter of international
law and freedom of navigation in the region. While France is not a claimant state in the dispute, it
has significant interests in the region as a major naval power with territories in the Pacific,
including New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

France has conducted several naval patrols in the South China Sea, asserting its right to freedom
of navigation in the disputed waters. In particular, France has been a vocal advocate for the
implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which sets
out the legal framework for maritime rights and obligations.

France has also participated in joint military exercises with countries such as the United States,
Japan, and Australia in the region, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining stability and
security in the South China Sea.

Additionally, France has expressed support for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) in its efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation among claimant states in the South
China Sea dispute. France has called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with
international law and has urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid escalating tensions in
the region.
In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron visited China, where he discussed issues such as
climate change, trade, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project
initiated by China that aims to connect Asia with Europe and Africa. However, Macron also
expressed his concerns about China's human rights record and its handling of the Hong
Kong protests, which further strained their bilateral relations.