French carrier visits Phl, WPS patrols expected

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle made its inaugural visit to the Philippines as part of its mission CLEMENCEAU 25.

The French embassy announced the arrival of the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle along with two multi-mission destroyers, an air defense destroyer, and the auxiliary oil replenishment ship Jacques Chevallier in Subic Bay, Zambales on Friday. 

The aircraft carrier's historic arrival to the country is part of the framework outlined in the letter of intent signed in December 2023 by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.

This letter of intent aims in particular at developing military cooperation and interactions between the armed forces of the two countries.

The French embassy said the CLEMENCEAU 25 serves as “a unique opportunity” to strengthen the relations between France and the Philippines. 

The Philippines and France moved to upgrade their existing bilateral defense relations, considering their ongoing negotiations on the status of the visiting forces agreement. 

This is seen to strengthen bilateral relations between Manila and Paris, particularly in defense industry cooperation, military activities, and defense capability development.

In 2024, the French Navy piloted its first participation in the  United States-Philippines ‘Balikatan’ exercise with the deployment of the frigate Vendémiaire. 

French destroyer Bretagne also made a stopover in Manila in May 2024; followed by the arrival of its frigate Prairial in Cebu in October 2024; and the first enhanced stopover of the PEGASE mission at Clark Air Base last year.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs chief Col Xerxes Trinidad said joint maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will follow after the French aircraft carrier arrived.

“The French Navy forces are expected to conduct combined naval and air exercises alongside the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad told the DAILY TRIBUNE in a Viber message on Friday. 

Trinidad noted the visit builds on growing defense ties between the Philippines and France. 

“Previous port calls by the destroyer Bretagne in Manila and the frigate Prairial in Cebu further underscore France’s commitment to regional security and the shared goal of strengthening maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific,” he added. 

The Philippines has been elevating its strategic defense and military cooperation with "like-minded" nations such as the US, Australia, and Japan amid the increasing security challenges in the WPS.