Paris – French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will set up a network of coastguards with the countries in the South Pacific to respond to China, which is looting in the South Pacific. Although a direct mention was avoided, the French president’s announcement is claimed to be against aggressive Chinese maritime moves. France has already prioritised enhancing military assistance with India and Australia to safeguard its interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
France has Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and French Polynesia and New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. The France-Oceania meeting is held for the last five years for the security of these islands. The recent meeting was attended by the French President Macron, representatives from Australia and the Marshall Islands, the head of state of Papua New Guinea and representatives of New Zealand and other Pacific countries. President Macron raised the issue of aggression in the South Pacific.
