France stands ready to participate in a joint patrol with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea as Manila started seeking maritime cooperation with more countries amid developments in the waters.
French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel told reporters Wednesday, Dec. 6, that France is only waiting for the greenlight from the Philippine government for such partnership, which first needs a framework to work on.
"But we were ready to already [join]... We've always been told by the Philippines, that the Philippines would need, under your constitution, this agreement," Fontanel said.
The envoy said the upcoming visiting forces agreement, which was recently agreed by both sides, between the Philippines and France would complement the two countries' possible joint patrol.
"Let's see what happens in the future," she said.
In November, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. raised the possibility not only of joint but also of multilateral patrols with other countries in the West Philippine Sea.
Brawner said they are likely to happen next year as the Philippines is still talking with allies for such activity.
"It's in the planning process. We are going to conduct our joint maritime and air patrols in the West Philippine Sea with the US, Japan is interested, France, the UK and Canada," Brawner also said in an interview with CNN Philippines on Dec. 5.
France is willing to accommodate the Philippines' request as it has noted the developments in the Indo-Pacific, Fontanel said.
And France must do its part as a maritime nation, like the Philippines, to ensure rules-based order in the waters, she added.
"No one can escape from this current rise of tensions, so we are here to have a look at it," she said.
There are also other ways that France is supporting the Philippines in terms of defense.
Fontanel said these include France's possible reestablishment of a full-pledged defense mission in Manila as well as its support for the country's defense modernization program.
The last full-pledged defense mission of France in the country ended in 2009. Currently, France's nearest defense mission is in Kuala Lumpur, which has jurisdiction over the Philippines.
Fontanel said France is reestablishing it due to the Philippines' shift of focus, which is now on external threats.
"And in 2024, probably next summer, we will have here a defense attaché, French defense attaché back in Manila," she said.
France is also willing to support the Philippines' military modernization program by offering French submarines and other equipment.
"Sky is the limit when you when you are at at the point when you want to strengthen the relationship," she said.