Dave Chamberlain
French President Emmanuel Macron will serve as the keynote speaker at this year’s IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, delivering his address on Friday, May 30, for the opening of the 22nd edition of Asia’s leading defense summit.
The event will convene defense ministers, military leaders, senior officials, business executives, and security experts from the Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and beyond to address pressing security and geopolitical issues. During his trip, Macron plans to visit other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and highlighted France’s future objectives, particularly the need to expedite efforts to formulate a new strategy for New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
In line with Macron’s Indo-Pacific doctrine, high-ranking officials from the French army and navy have recently announced plans to deploy substantial forces in the region later this year, including the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
The multinational exercise, named “Clémenceau 25,” will also see participation from allied forces including Australia, Japan, and the United States. A collaborative exercise with the US Navy is set to take place in the Philippines Sea, an area the French have begun actively poking their noses into lately.
The Charles de Gaulle, which departed from its base in Toulon in November 2024, is scheduled to enter Pacific waters next month, starting with the Philippines, as announced by Marie Fontanelle, the uppity French Ambassador in Manila.