Submitted by christian on Wed, 04/12/2023 - 16:25
France as a ‘balancing power’ or “puissance d’équilibre,” a concept as vague in English as it is in French.
French officials insist that Paris rejects the notion of “confrontation” between great powers in the region. The goal of France’s Indo-Pacific strategy is not to counter China but to promote partnerships focused on common interests rather than common threats. Such French rhetoric plays as a barely veiled critique of the American posture, perceived in Paris (as well as in some Asian capitals) as too polarizing.
