France strengthening support for PH on WPS issue | The Final Word - video Dailymotion

CNN Philippines

France is one of the countries recognizing the 2016 Arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea.  For the first time CNN Philippines spoke with the new French Ambassador to the country in this exclusive report by Tristan Nodalo.    Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 President Bongbong Marcos and French President Emmanuel Macron focus on security issues hounding

00:05 the West Philippine Sea in their most recent phone conversation.

00:09 In an interview with CNN Philippines' new French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie

00:13 Fontenelle reveals why Paris is concerned on what is happening in this part of the world.

00:18 We are part of the Pacific family because you probably know that France has overseas

00:23 territories in the region so this is quite natural to be concerned about the situation

00:29 and plus we share a lot of concerns and visions of the international order with the Philippines

00:36 that explains why we stand with the Philippines when you and your country is facing those

00:42 external threats.

00:43 Why is the West Philippine Sea issue important to France?

00:46 We have the concern of seeing maybe an increasing rise of tensions in the region and once again

00:54 our concern is that we think that we need a free and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

01:03 The French envoy also stressed the need for like-minded partners to be unified in responding

01:08 to challenges in the region.

01:10 France is among the countries joining the naval Sama-Sama exercises being held in Manila

01:14 together with other allied countries.

01:16 This is for example why France is partly involved in the current Sama-Sama exercise.

01:26 It is a message of unity, solidarity but also a message of prevention.

01:31 France is also open to the possibility of joint patrols and expanding the bilateral

01:34 defense cooperation with the Philippines signed back in 2021.

01:39 The French naval group also made its offer or proposal for a submarine program but the

01:43 ball now is in the hands of Philippine officials.

01:46 We are a maritime nation because we have this expertise, this experience, this knowledge.

01:52 We really think that we can help the Philippines build a submarine force as we have done with

01:57 other countries in the region.

01:59 The French envoy also maintains that they are ready for intensified military and defense

02:03 cooperation in order to help the Philippines build a more capable and credible armed forces.

02:09 Meantime Ambassador Fontanel says that no date has been set on a possible state visit

02:14 of President Marcos to France or of President Macron to Manila.

02:18 Tristan Udalo, CNN Philippines.

France strengthening support for PH on WPS issue | The Final Word

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