On July 20, 2025 local time, the French website Naval News reported that a French naval admiral stated that the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier has been under surveillance by the Chinese Navy since entering the South China Sea. "As soon as the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier battle group entered the Luzon Strait, it was followed," said the admiral, "a Chinese 054A frigate appeared," "there were 30 to 40 Chinese naval vessels, which is a large number," "we (the French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier battle group) are prepared for anything," "the French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier battle group also 'met' a Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier in the South China Sea." For the French Navy, without hard power, only exaggerated statements can be used to show that they are still on the table. For us, it's not proper to not respond; when it's time to act, we should strike hard and give them a thorough beating! For the current Chinese Navy, the French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is just a living target. Even if the entire Charles de Gaulle battle group comes to the South China Sea, it's not enough to even fit into the mouth of a 055-class destroyer.
The U.S. Navy once had a saying: "100,000-ton diplomacy." Earlier, French media reported the arrival of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in the Indo-Pacific region with a news headline: "42,000 tons of diplomacy: Charles de Gaulle from India to Indonesia." The so-called 42,000 tons refers to the 42,000-ton displacement of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. France's tone is quite bold. At first glance, it seems only the French Navy is a world-class navy, and the Indo-Pacific region seems to have no force capable of matching it. The Chinese Navy now has the 075 amphibious assault ship's "30,000-ton diplomacy," the 076 amphibious assault ship's "40,000-ton diplomacy," the Liaoning and Shandong carriers' "60,000-ton diplomacy," and the Fujian carrier's "80,000-ton diplomacy." Therefore, the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier entering the South China Sea is actually self-inflicted humiliation.
The French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier came, and then left in a hurry. Now, the British Royal Navy's Prince of Wales aircraft carrier is about to come, and the result is likely to be the same. Looking at the navigation route of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, it did not dare to enter the South China Sea deeply. So why boast so much? The overseas territories of Britain and France have become independent or self-governing. Except for a few as key control nodes, including Gibraltar, most no longer bear the obligation of transferring wealth and resources to their mother countries. Therefore, maintaining these overseas territories' sovereignty has no practical significance other than face. Only with overseas interests will there be the motivation, and vice versa, overseas interests support this motivation required capability.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Britain and France occasionally send a broken ship to the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait, and that's considered "strategic deterrence." How can the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier survive against the J-16 heavy fighter jets or the H-6K long-range bombers' saturation strikes? Or withstand the YJ-21 hypersonic missile from the 055-class destroyers? They go to someone else's doorstep, threatening with a knife, and then turn around to accuse others of threatening their safety. This is the face of Western colonialists. France is powerless to deal with Ukraine nearby, yet wants to show off near China's coast, how could it succeed!
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838225513133065/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.