The French government is open to holding joint patrols with the Philippines within its exclusive economic zones to develop the two nations’ interoperability.

The idea was floated during the Manila visit of Rear Admiral Jean-Mathieu Rey, joint commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific, who also met with various Filipino military and defense officials from March 7 to 8.

During these meetings, the military officials affirmed their willingness to expand operational bilateral engagement between the French and Philippine armed forces, including in the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

“With the Philippines, we share a common interest in areas such as humanitarian assistance. We are under the same threat of natural disasters in our overseas territories,” Rey said.

“The second domain is the protection of our exclusive economic zone. We share the same necessity to protect our resources in our EEZs against threats such as illegal fishing,” he added.

Based in French Polynesia, Rey leads the joint French armed forces operating in the Asia-Pacific, contributing to the protection of France’s territories and its 1.6 million citizens in the Indo-Pacific region.

This joint force is composed of assets from the French Navy, the French Air & Space Force, and regiments from the French Marine Infantry, and works with France’s partners in the region in carrying out Paris’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.

In a statement Wednesday, the French Embassy in Manila said this strategy seeks to promote a “stable, rules-based, multipolar order” and provides a framework for developing cooperation with its partners, including the Philippines and the Asean.

“France is a country of the Indo-Pacific, and we are here to stay. This is a long-term commitment and we want to walk the talk. We do this by having the presence of the French Armed Forces here and developing our relationship with their counterparts in the Philippines,” French Ambassador Michèle Boccoz said.

Rey’s Manila trip coincided with the port visit of Floréal-class light surveillance frigate Vendémiaire. The vessel will be docked in Manila until March 11 and will participate in a HADR preparedness activity with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Vendémiaire last held a port visit to the Philippines in 2021. (PNA)