French Nuclear-Powered Carrier Makes First Visit to Philippines

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is seen at the former US naval base in Subic Bay, Zambales province, north of Manila on February 23, 2025. Ted ALJIBE / AFP

Rising tensions in the South China Sea have made freedom of navigation exercises “even more important,” France’s ambassador to the Philippines said Sunday, as the nuclear-powered Charles De Gaulle made its first port visit to the country.

The aircraft carrier strike group, which includes a trio of destroyers, joined the Philippine Navy on Friday for drills in the disputed waterway that Manila said were aimed at enhancing “interoperability, communication, and defense capabilities.”

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by Agence France-Presse

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