Indopacific - United States - France : What if France was expected in the American Pacific?

The Pacific Forum, held from February 12 to 14, 2025, hosted the Honolulu Defense Forum. This was primarily a marketing operation for defense cooperation, with a view to strengthening de facto alliances in the face of China. The United States ensured that all its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, from Australia to the Philippines and Singapore, were well represented. France was also invited, but only marginally, without being recognized as a major partner in the region. Washington criticizes France for making choices in the region that are too far removed from its own. A reservation that the states of the region may not share, as they are worried by Donald Trump's excesses, reversals and brutality.

The Pacific Forum, held from February 12 to 14, 2025, hosted the Honolulu Defense Forum. This was primarily a marketing operation for defense cooperation, with a view to strengthening de facto alliances in the face of China. The United States ensured that all its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, from Australia to the Philippines and Singapore, were well represented. France was also invited, but only marginally, without being recognized as a major partner in the region. Washington criticizes France for making choices in the region that are too far removed from its own. A reservation that the states of the region may not share, as they are worried by Donald Trump's excesses, reversals and brutality.

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FACTS

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In February 2025, the Pacific Forum hosted the Honolulu Defense Forum.

CHALLENGES

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For the Indopacific
foster collaboration between the defense industry, critical technologies and economic security sectors,
improving the industrial base and combating regional threats.

For France
as a balancing power,
establish its legitimacy in the Indopacific.

For the United States
promote public-private partnerships to innovate, position and recapitalize American and allied capabilities,
counter strategic threats and strengthen deterrence.

FORWARD-LOOKING COMMENTS

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Admiral Samuel Parparo, Commander of U.S. Forces in the Indo-Pacific, had it all to say about the stakes involved. As he opened the proceedings, he didn't mince his words. The United States and its allies are facing an emerging axis of three autocracies that are helping each other. "The People's Republic of China, Russia and North Korea have formed a triangle of troublemakers. (...) Their technology transfers and diplomatic cooperation threaten to transform the Pacific from a free and open to a contested and controlled space." He describes the opportunities for defense collaboration as crucial: "By coordinating our efforts, we can achieve the advanced production that the environment demands."

Discussions focused on the capabilities needed to prevent threats and preserve peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Topics discussed included:

• operationalize the emergency,
• develop and maintain integrated defense capabilities,
• exploit critical technologies on a large scale,
• stimulate innovation and competitiveness in safety initiatives,
• build a solid industrial base,
• promote regional security.

Among the 78 speakers, 58 are American - 17 general officers or defense authorities, 22 representatives of Congress and official organizations, 19 industrialists. Among the 20 foreign speakers were the USA's usual partners in the region: 4 Australians, 3 Britons, 3 Japanese, 2 Canadians, 2 Germans, followed by representatives from the Philippines, Singapore and New Zealand, and, somewhat at a loss, a Czech and a Lithuanian. Finally, in a parallel session, the French representative to the American command in the area testified on behalf of Europe.

France is a major player in the region, the only European country with territories in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The marginal place it has been accorded in this forum is particularly noteworthy. It ignores our overseas territories: New Caledonia, French Polynesia and the Southern and Antarctic Lands. It overlooks the deployment of France's naval air group, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, its embarked air squadron and escort vessels. As part of the Clémenceau 25 mission, after taking part in training sessions in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, the Charles de Gaulle reached the Philippine Sea to take part in Exercise Pacific Steller with the American aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, and the Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga. These maneuvers were exceptional in that they involved the cooperation of aircraft carriers of three different nationalities.1 This exclusion may be explained by France's strategic choices, particularly with regard to China, which are considered to be too far removed from those of the United States.

But this distance may have changed the situation. The United States' backlash against Russia, the brutality of the new US presidential administration towards Volodymyr Zelensky, and the territorial claims to Canada and even Greenland have all probably raised questions in the Asia-Pacific region. All of them can imagine finding themselves in a comparable situation. Wouldn't Australia be at this stage, for example, if the USA's retreat from the Aukus submarine program is confirmed?2 This could be an opportunity for France to restore its legitimacy.

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Edouard Valensi, Asie21

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1. Ministère des Armées, Clémenceau 25 - Assessment of trilateral exercise Pacific Steller, French Navy, 24/02/2025
2. Defensemirror.com, Australia to consider French Submarines Amid Aukus Deal Concerns?, 11/03/2025

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