Thread by @morcos_pierre

This morning French foreign minister delivered an important speech at @CarnegieEndow and @franceintheus on France's vision for the Indo-Pacific and China. A 🧵 for those who missed it 👇

First, Jean-Yves Le Drian stressed that the Indo-Pacific has become "a central region for the balances of the world" and that there is a "rising awareness" among Europeans about this strategic shift.

France is particularly cognizant of the importance of the Indo-Pacific, as it defines itself as an "Indo-Pacific nation" thanks to its overseas territories which are home to 1.6 million French citizens. These territories provide to France the second largest EEZ in the world.

France is implementing its own national Indo-Pacific strategy based on four pillars. First, stronger action to address regional security challenges (maritime security, fight against terrorism). Second, strategic partnerships with key actors such as Japan, Australia or India.

Third, stronger cooperation with regional organizations, starting with the ASEAN. And, finally, the promotion of global public goods (notably the environment and biodiversity).

Collectively, Europeans have also "fundamental interests" in the region and are "clear-headed" about China and "the way it asserts its power". "Europe has no choice but to assert itself in the international scene, and in particular in the Indo-Pacific".

The European Union is therefore "building its own Indo-Pacific strategy" which will be one of the priorities of France as it chairs the 🇪🇺 in the first half of 2022.

csis.org/analysis/europ…

The Indo-Pacific will also be "at the heart of a renewed and rebalanced transatlantic partnership". The U.S. and Europe must "implement together a transatlantic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific".

"The approach that we must define together is not based on a confrontation with China but on the promotion of our own model based on democratic values and a rules-based international order".

"This involves to provide a democratic response to the rise of authoritarianism, the "brutalization" of the world and the many challenges facing multilateralism".

On China specifically, @JY_LeDrian noted a converging analysis with Washington which also views China as "a partner, a competitor and a strategic rival". "It is now up to us to find a balance between these dimensions which are interrelated".

i/ China as a partner: "We need China to take its responsibilities to address some pressing challenges", like climate, biodiversity, global inequalities or the international health regulation.

ii/ China as a competitor: "We must regulate the competition with China in terms of trade, technology, security". Multilateral organizations will be instrumental in this endeavor, notably to produce norms and standards which will apply to everybody.

iii/ China as a systemic rival: "We must promote our universal values. Which is at stake with China is our conception of the human being, its dignity, rights and liberties." @JY_LeDrian notably mentioned the human rights violations in #Xinjiang or 🇨🇳 "digital authoritarianism".

Finally, during the discussion with @sbg1, Jean-Yves Le Drian notably explains what could be role of #NATO toward China. "NATO is a transatlantic alliance, not a global alliance. But we can discuss the consequences of China for European security in NATO".

The speech and the conversation can be seen in replay here 👇 [End]