Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

French aircraft carrier historic visit to PH to strengthen ties

Article (news)

Jessie Cruzat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0fmcB4NRjM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle successfully docked in Subic Bay on February 21, marking a historic visit in the Philippines by the French carrier strike group as part of the latter’s Clemenceau 25 mission.</p><p>In a press briefing on Sunday aboard the Charles de Gaulle, French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel emphasized that the visit is testament to France&#x27;s commitment to regional stability and enhancing defense ties with the Philippines.</p><p>“We aim to deepen our cooperation with regional partners, with whom we share common values such as upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation in shared maritime spaces,” said Ambassador Fontanel.</p><p>The ambassador emphasized that the Charles de Gaulle is anchored on  the maritime presence of France in the Indo-Pacific region, which is considered a vital pillar of its broader Indo-Pacific strategy.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFrenchEmbassyPH%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02cKkZ4rbaq61mzsbjBQY1MSqynhbBysqXvKk433s1TbrRXiBeK5jfwPdGcurhs153l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="787" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Fontanel addressed the significance of the visit, stressing France&#x27;s role in the Indo-Pacific with nearly 2 million French citizens residing in the region.</p><p>&quot;The French presence in the region is not a matter of coincidence. France is a full-fledged nation of the Indo-Pacific. Our strategy, launched in 2018, emphasizes the importance of regional security and strengthening partnerships with countries that share our values of upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation,&quot; the Ambassador said.</p><p>The ambassador also noted that France supports the claim of the Philippines particularly in contested waters like the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/17/china-philippines-quarrel-over-south-china-sea-row-in-munich-conference-1018">China, Philippines quarrel over South China Sea row in Munich conference</a></div><p> “That is why constantly, whenever there has been in the past or there will be, I hope not in the future, incidents in the South China Sea that are contrary to international law, we always state the fact that any sovereign state has to adhere to international law and particularly international law of the sea, including in this region, including in the South China Sea.” Fontanel said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, commander of the French carrier strike group, expressed his gratitude to the Philippines for allowing the French Navy to conduct vital training exercises in the region.</p><p>&quot;This stopover is an important step in our mission Clemenceau 25. Our exercises with the Philippine armed forces over the past few days are essential for enhancing interoperability and demonstrating our shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,&quot; said Rear Admiral Mallard.</p><p>Mallard also discussed the military capability of the aircraft carrier.</p><p>“Her type is with catapults and arrested gear. Catapults provide us the ability to launch heavy aircraft, that means aircraft with ammunition and with fuel. And if you&#x27;ve got ammunition and fuel, you get range, which is a tactical advantage. This ship is proposed by nuclear propulsion. She is 260 meters long, 60 meters width. She is 42,000 tons.”</p><p>Moreover, France also looks forward to deepening the partnership through a Visiting Forces Agreement and continued joint military operations in the Philippines.</p><p>“The plan in the letter of intent to negotiate a visiting forces agreement between France and the Philippines, it is still on the agenda. As the Philippines and France agreed on, we were supposed to issue a first draft, which we did and we transmitted to the Philippine authorities our first draft of such a visiting forces agreement last October [2024],” the Ambassador added.</p>

<p>The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle successfully docked in Subic Bay on February 21, marking a historic visit in the Philippines by the French carrier strike group as part of the latter’s Clemenceau 25 mission.</p>

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle successfully docked in Subic Bay on February 21, marking a historic visit in the Philippines by the French carrier strike group as part of the latter’s Clemenceau 25 mission.