French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France and South Pacific nations will launch a network of South Pacific coast guards to combat “predation,” according to international media reports on Monday, with a French presidential adviser revealing that the goal of the guards is to prevent illegal fishing at a time when China is expanding its maritime influence. To prevent illegal fishing.
According to Reuters, the United States and its allies, including France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, are actively expanding their activities in the Pacific to counter China’s growing influence. The report also mentioned that the Pacific islands, although small in size, control a large area of rich marine resources known as the “exclusive economic zone” and form a maritime border between the Americas and Asia.
We are all victims of aggression, so I want to promote maritime cooperation in the South Pacific,” Macron said after a video conference with leaders of South Pacific countries, including Australia, the Marshall Islands and Papua New Guinea, as well as representatives of New Zealand and other Pacific nations.
Macron said, “We will establish a South Pacific Coast Guard with three main objectives: information sharing, operational cooperation and joint training.” But he did not mention China in his talk. Asked if the policy was aimed at China’s maritime expansion, a French presidential adviser said it was aimed at “private” illegal fishing.
The report mentioned that Chinese fishing boats have expanded their fishing waters significantly to increase their catches, and have been involved in disputes with countries in the South China Sea and even Argentina.
The Reuters report said that Chinese fishing boats, whether private or commercial, have been expanding their fishing waters into Southeast Asian waters in order to increase their catches, as fish stocks in China’s offshore waters are getting smaller.
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