The United Kingdom, France and the Indo-Pacific

The United Kingdom, France and the Indo-Pacific

Updated August 5, 2021
The United Kingdom, France and the Indo-Pacific
Successive U.S. Administrations have sought to bring
to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for
European allies into a range of strategic initiatives in the
Trans Pacific Partnership and reached a preliminary deal for
Indo-Pacific region. Most recently, President Biden during
a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia, after
his visit to Europe in June 2021 sought greater cohesion
signing FTAs with Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam in 2020.
with European allies on how democratic nations respond to
In May 2021, the UK and India announced a “Road Map
challenges posed by China.
2030” guiding cooperation for a comprehensive strategic
partnership, including an enhanced trade partnership and
While Europe’s focus on the region has increased in recent
the intention to negotiate an FTA.
years, France and the United Kingdom (UK) stand out for
their recent actions that demonstrate their assessment of
France is maintaining existing ties with its territories in the
growing defense and security challenges in the Indo-
South Pacific and the Indian Ocean while developing
Pacific. Through their strategic relations, regional
strategic relations with key regional states including India,
deployments, arms sales, and military-to-military
Australia, and Japan. The April 2021 document France’s
relationships, France and the UK have the ability to
Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, issued by the Ministry for
strengthen the defense capabilities of regional states, help
Europe and Foreign Affairs, builds on President Macron’s
shape the regional balance of power, and support U.S.
strategy for the Indo-Pacific, and identifies the Indo-Pacific
interests.
as the “new global strategic centre of gravity” and
highlights the importance of France’s partnerships in the
In recent years, France and the UK have developed their
region. France reportedly sent its nuclear attack submarine
strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific and are networking
Emeraude through the South China Sea in February 2021,
with like-minded Indo-Pacific nations to bolster regional
after reaffirming its commitment to freedom of navigation
stability and help preserve the norms of the international
with the passage of the frigate Vendémiaire through the
system. These efforts reinforce the United States’ goal of
Taiwan Strait in 2019. France also joined Australia, Japan,
maintaining regional stability by strengthening a collective
and the United States in a joint military exercise off Japan
deterrent to challenges to international security norms. Such
in May 2021. In October 2020, President Macron appointed
challenges include China’s actions in the South China Sea,
Christophe Penot as Special Envoy to the Indo-Pacific, and
its increasingly aggressive behavior in asserting maritime
in December 2020 Macron reportedly set up a hotline and
and territorial claims, and the extension of PLA Navy
discussed a range of strategic issues with India’s Prime
patrols into the Indian Ocean Region. Congress, in
Minister Modi. Macron has stated, “I believe in this Indo-
exercising its oversight role, may examine the Biden
Pacific axis, I believe in this new strategy which we will
Administration’s efforts to work effectively with like-
have to have at the heart of our collective ambitions, and it
minded nations, such as France and the United Kingdom, to
is above all a geopolitical ambition.”
advance shared values and interests in the region.
France
Recent Developments
France, which seeks to act as an “inclusive and stabilizing
The United Kingdom and France are deepening their
mediating power,” has extensive interests in the Indo-
strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific. In May 2021, a carrier
Pacific region. These include over 1.6 million French
strike group led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth left the UK
citizens living in French Indo-Pacific territories and an
on a deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, with scheduled
extensive exclusive economic zone, derived from those
visits to India, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, and an
territories. France has approximately 7,000 military
expected passage through the South China Sea. This
personnel in the region, has military installations in its
deployment, which is to include a U.S. Arleigh Burke-Class
territories as well as in Djibouti and the UAE, and
Destroyer and 10 U.S. Marine Corps F-35 aircraft, would
reportedly has sent warships into the South China Sea.
be Britain’s largest overseas naval deployment in decades.
France is part of the FRANZ Arrangement with Australia
The March 2021 policy document Global Britain in a
and New Zealand, and is a member of a Quadrilateral
Competitive Age: The Integrated Review of Security,
Defense Coordination Group with Australia, New Zealand,
Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, outlines the
and the United States. The French Territory of New
framework of an “Indo-Pacific tilt” in UK foreign policy,
Caledonia, which voted to remain part of France in a
stating “we will pursue deeper engagement in the Indo-
November 4, 2018, referendum, has a population of
Pacific in support of shared prosperity and regional
approximately 270,000 and 25% of the world’s nickel
stability.... ” The region also is increasingly important to the
reserves. In the lead-up to the referendum, President
UK as it seeks to expand trading relationships following the
Macron stated “in this part of the globe China is building its
country’s January 2020 withdrawal from the European
hegemony … we have to work with China … But if don't
Union (“Brexit”). In June 2021, the UK began negotiations
organize ourselves, it will soon be a hegemony which will
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The United Kingdom, France and the Indo-Pacific
reduce our liberties, our opportunities which we will
largest warship, the Kaga helicopter carrier, held exercises
suffer.”
in the Indian Ocean, and the UK and Japan held a joint
exercise in central Japan.
France and India expanded their strategic partnership
during Macron’s March 2018 visit to India. The two
Approximately 1.7 million British citizens live across the
countries have agreed to hold biannual summits, signed an
Indo-Pacific region, and the UK has Commonwealth ties to
Agreement Regarding the Provision of Reciprocal Logistics
numerous states in the region. UK forces participate in
Support, and “agreed to deepen and strengthen the bilateral
annual exercises of the Five Power Defence Arrangement
ties based on shared principles and values of democracy,
(FPDA), a regional security group of Australia, Malaysia,
freedom, rule of law and respect for human rights.” Among
New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK that was established
other agreements, the two nations issued a Joint Strategic
in 1971. The UK also has a battalion of Gurkha infantry
Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean
based in Brunei. The UK opened new High Commissions in
Region which states “France and India have shared
Vanuatu, Tonga, and Samoa in 2019, and signed a new
concerns with regard to the emerging challenges in the
Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with
Indian Ocean Region.” India signed a deal with France to
Singapore in 2018. In 2013, Australia and the UK signed a
purchase 36 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft in
new Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty that provides
2016 for an estimated $8.7 billion. India received the fifth
an enhanced framework for bilateral defense cooperation.
batch of Rafale aircraft in April 2021, bringing the total
The treaty builds on longstanding defense cooperation
delivered to 18. France and India also hold the annual
through the FPDA and intelligence cooperation through the
Varuna naval exercise.
Five Eyes group that also includes Canada, New Zealand,
and the United States. Australia signed an agreement with
France is also developing its bilateral strategic and defense
UK defense contractor BAE Systems to purchase nine new
relationships with Australia, Japan, and Vietnam. While
Type 26 frigates in a deal worth an estimated $25 billion.
visiting Australia in May 2018, Macron stated that he
wanted to create a “strong Indo-Pacific axis to build on our
The EU and NATO
economic interests as well as our security interests.”
In April 2021, the 27 foreign ministers of the European
Several agreements were signed during Macron’s visit to
Union (EU) member states adopted a set of conclusions on
Australia, and Australia and France agreed to work together
an EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
on cyberterrorism and defense. French company DCNS was
The conclusions represent the consensus of EU member
previously awarded an estimated $36.3 billion contract to
states in terms of broad diplomatic, economic, and security
build 12 submarines for Australia. Australia and France
and defense policy approaches to the region. The member
held their inaugural Defense Ministers meeting in
states also tasked the European Commission and the EU
September 2018. French President Macron and Japanese
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Prime Minister Abe agreed to increase their cooperation to
Policy to communicate a formal Indo-Pacific strategy by
promote stability in the Indo-Pacific during Abe’s visit to
September 2021. The momentum to develop a common EU
France in October 2018. France and its former colony
strategy comes as member states Germany and the
Vietnam signed a Defense Cooperation Pact in 2009, and
Netherlands, in addition to France, also have adopted
upgraded relations to a Strategic Partnership in 2013. A
national strategies toward the Indo-Pacific region.
detachment of French aircraft visited Vietnam in August
2018 after taking part in exercise Pitch Black in Australia.
At the June 2021 NATO summit, the allies for the first time
outlined “systemic challenges” posed by China’s “assertive
The United Kingdom
behavior” and “coercive policies which stand in contrast to
The Integrated Review confirms the UK government’s view
the fundamental values enshrined in [NATO’s founding
that the Indo-Pacific region “is critical to our economy, our
treaty].” These include a rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal,
security and our global ambition to support open societies”
an opaque military modernization program, military
and that “[i]n the decades to come it will be the crucible for
cooperation with Russia, and use of disinformation. NATO
many of the most pressing global challenges.”
also called on China to “uphold its international
commitments and to act responsibly in the international
In 2018, the UK opened a new naval support facility in
system, including in space, cyber and maritime domains, in
Bahrain that is to be capable of supporting the new aircraft
keeping with its role as a major power.”
carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
Also in 2018, three Royal Navy ships were deployed to the
Increasing European attention to the Indo-Pacific region
Indo-Pacific region: the HMS Albion, a 22,000 ton
largely unfolds against a backdrop of policy debates about
amphibious assault ship with a contingent of Royal
China. While Europe has been reassessing its approach to
Marines, and the frigates HMS Sutherland and HMS Argyll.
China, prospects for a common approach remain
The HMS Albion sailed near the disputed Paracel Islands—
complicated by differing economic and national interests,
waters that China considers its territorial seas. A Royal
Navy spokesman stated that “HMS
and mixed views of China as a competitor versus a partner.
Albion exercised her
Nevertheless, regional states may view a more engaged
rights for freedom of navigation in full compliance with
international law and norms.” China
Europe as a welcome addition to the U.S. regional presence
strongly protested the
as they hedge against a rising China.
operation, describing it as a provocation. In 2017, the UK
and Japan agreed on a Joint Declaration on Security
Cooperation pledging to enhance the two countries’ global
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
security partnership. In 2018, the HMS Argyll and Japan’s
Derek E. Mix, Specialist in European Affairs
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The United Kingdom, France and the Indo-Pacific

IF11052
Paul Belkin, Analyst in European Affairs

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11052 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED