During the annual Shangri-La conference, both the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and French President Emmanuel Macron committed further attention and involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.
French President Macron said that, regrettably, it was his first time attending the conference and the same was true for a EU High Representative.
The EU High Representative said that no state can initiate violence against another state except with a resolution by the United Nations Security Council or in self-defence. She highlighted that Europe is increasingly issuing statements in support of states in the Indo-Pacific facing aggression and threats from neighbouring China especially after China’s acts of sabotage of Europe’s undersea cables. The EU High Representative said that the EU will stand in solidarity with states facing similar risks and other acts of aggression.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed a similar stance as he said that China can not pretend Europe not to be active in the Indo-Pacific after Chinese and North Korean troops go to Russia to fight against Ukraine. President Macron also highlighted the reality of double-standards with emerging conflicts in the world and said that this should not be acceptable, especially with regard to Israel which is being given a free pass for its massacre in Gaza.
The French President also highlighted the need for strategic autonomy in the Indo-Pacific to face off threats from China and said that France has a stake in this security architecture given that it has overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific and also up to 8,000 French troops stationed in the region.
President Macron made contrasting comments on climate change saying that it poses risks to security while the US Defense Secretary said that this is an issue that the US is no longer interested in “preaching about”.
The annual conference organsied by the International Institute of Strategic Studies focuses on security in the Indo-Pacific and this year was marked with a warning by the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Chain may imminently try to invade Taiwan.
Newsroom
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