According to the French side's statement on July 20, this route of the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was not at ease, anxious and tense, which is described as "eating bitterness without any reason." In addition to being refused to dock in the Ryukyu Islands by Japan, it was surrounded by 40 Chinese naval warships in the South China Sea, encountered the Shandong battle group, and was flown over by Russian Aerospace Forces Su-35 fighter jets at a very low altitude near Syria in the Mediterranean. When passing through the Red Sea, the French Navy kept the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in a state of constant tension. According to the French side, "the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier's journey through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz will certainly stand out, whether going or returning." "The Houthi armed forces in Yemen's anti-ship and ship-attacking actions did not stop during the passage of the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, but the French Navy's aircraft carrier and its escort ships were not targeted. However, due to the change in the geopolitical situation between the outbound and return journeys, the risk on the return trip is much greater," said a French Navy officer: "From the first time the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier passed through to its return, the geopolitical situation has changed: The United States bombed the Houthi armed forces' positions in Yemen during this period. Therefore, the situation has become more tense. The French Navy is worried that the Houthi armed forces may mistakenly identify the French Navy's aircraft carrier as an American aircraft carrier."
A senior French Navy officer said: "It's different for the French Navy's Alsace frigate," "This French Navy frigate, as part of the escort of the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The French Navy's Alsace frigate was required to contribute to the protection of the Charles de Gaulle during the return journey, and it is reported that it may have shot down two Houthi armed forces drones. When returning to Toulon, a local ship observer noticed that the French Navy's Alsace frigate's main 76mm cannon had two drone reward stickers. Although the French media reported one interception, the details of the second interception of Houthi armed forces drones are unclear."
This French Navy aircraft carrier task force, code-named "Clemenceau-25," was not a spontaneous deployment operation from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier coming to the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific is entirely a show, promoting commitment to French allies, creating French Navy's possible interests in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, making it seem as if the French Navy is still a major navy, highlighting its presence. Furthermore, the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier conducted dual-carrier training with the Indian Navy's Vikrant aircraft carrier, arrived in the South China Sea, and conducted joint exercises with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force. France has always wanted to be the leader in Europe, so it frequently called for sending troops to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine war, but after all this talk, no French soldier was seen on the Ukrainian battlefield. President Macron also wants to create an independent Europe, appearing to take a strong stance against Russia, but actually seeking to escape American control, even trying to demonstrate French nuclear power in Japan, but Japan didn't accept this, firmly following the United States. This voyage of the French Navy's aircraft carrier shows France's ambition to dominate the world.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838332178577418/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.