French Nuclear-Powered Carrier Visits Philippines Amid Rising South China Sea Tensions

The arrival of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Philippines marks a significant moment in the ongoing geopolitical shifts in the South China Sea. Making its first-ever port visit to the country, the French carrier and its accompanying strike group conducted joint drills with the Philippine Navy, emphasizing the importance of freedom of navigation in a region increasingly contested by China.

The carrier strike group, comprising three destroyers, joined the Philippine Navy for interoperability, communication, and defense capability exercises. This visit to Subic Bay, north of Manila, underscores the Philippines’ growing partnerships with nations that share its commitment to upholding international maritime laws. France’s Ambassador Marie Fontanel, speaking aboard the carrier, stressed that the escalating tensions in the region made it even more critical to uphold the rules-based international order.

France has been reinforcing its role in the Indo-Pacific, particularly through Operation Clemenceau 25, a months-long naval deployment involving joint exercises with the United States and Japan in the Philippine Sea. The operation aims to project French naval power in strategic zones where regional tensions are rising, and maritime laws are increasingly being challenged. France is one of the few European nations that conduct regular freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea to push back against unilateral territorial claims.

France Strengthens Military Ties with the Philippines

Beyond military exercises, the Philippines and France are in talks over a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which would allow both nations to deploy troops on each other's territories. Manila already has similar agreements with the United States and Australia, with Japan expected to finalize its own soon. Additionally, Canada and New Zealand are in negotiations to establish similar military cooperation agreements with the Philippines.

This growing military collaboration follows an earlier $440 million deal between Manila and Paris, under which the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will acquire 40 fast patrol craft from France. Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan described the agreement as the largest single purchase for the country’s coast guard modernization, with deliveries expected to begin within four years.

China’s Expanding Claims and Regional Response

The backdrop to these developments is China's continued assertiveness in the South China Sea, where it claims nearly the entire maritime region, disregarding an international tribunal ruling that deemed its claims baseless. The Philippines, along with several neighboring countries, has consistently opposed China’s incursions into its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

With regional security at stake, France’s commitment to supporting partners like the Philippines signals an increasing European role in Indo-Pacific security dynamics. As geopolitical tensions rise, the Charles de Gaulle’s historic visit underscores the growing global interest in ensuring a free and open South China Sea.