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France and the Philippines have committed to strengthening their alliance following joint combat exercises in the disputed South China Sea last week.

This demonstration of military power is likely to provoke China’s ire as the two countries conducted anti-submarine warfare drills and aerial combat training.

After the exercises, the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, arrived at Subic Bay, a former US naval base northwest of Manila, on Friday.

On Sunday, Marie Fontanel, the French ambassador to the Philippines, addressed the media from the carrier’s flight deck.

“We aim to deepen our cooperation with regional partners with whom we share common values such as upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation in shared maritime spaces,” she stated.

In late 2023, France and the Philippines signed an agreement to enhance military cooperation and joint exercises.

They are currently in talks to further solidify an agreement that would allow their troops to train in each other’s territories. French officials have submitted a draft proposal to Manila for discussion.

The Philippines has already established similar agreements with the US and Australia.

While France has been strengthening its defense partnerships with Southeast Asian countries involved in maritime disputes with China, Paris maintains that its activities focus on disaster preparedness and do not target any particular nation.

However, China objects to the presence of foreign military forces in the South China Sea, especially those of the US and its allies.

Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly the entire sea, although it has not officially defined its boundaries.

These claims overlap with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, resulting in long-standing territorial disputes.

Tensions escalated two weeks ago when Australia accused a Chinese J-16 fighter jet of launching flares dangerously close to its P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea.