Macron outlines France's vision for Asia-Pacific relations, rejects confrontation

President Emmanuel Macron has urged an end to "confrontation" in the Asia-Pacific as he outlined his vision for France's engagement in the region.

French president Emmanuel Macron addresses leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok, 18 November 2022. AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN

Macron is attending the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok as he seeks to relaunch France's strategy for the region in the face of growing US-China competition.

The French president told a gathering of business leaders on the sidelines of the summit that France wants to play a stabilising role in the region to avert confrontation.

"We don't believe in hegemony, we don't believe in confrontation, we believe in stability," Macron said.

L'Indopacifique est une réalité pour notre pays. La moitié de nos collectivités ou départements d'outre-mer y font rayonner la France. pic.twitter.com/hub7CnrdTa

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 17, 2022

'Two big elephants'

He said regional powers including France – which has overseas territories in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including Reunion, New Caledonia and French Polynesia – should play a role.

Delivering his speech in English, Macron said: "We are in the jungle and we have two big elephants ... If they become very nervous and start war, it will be a big problem for the rest of the jungle.

"You need cooperation of a lot of other animals."

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Ukraine and multiple crises

Macron said the international community was facing overlapping crises, from climate change to economic turmoil, and a coordinated response was needed.

"Our Indo-Pacific strategy is how to provide dynamic balance in this environment," he said.

On Russia's war in Ukraine – which he identified as a major source of global instability – he said all countries in Asia and elsewhere needed to recognise their duty to act.

France was working to build "an increasing consensus in order to say this war is also your problem because it will create a lot of destabilisation", Macron added.