Jealous of Chinese cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Macron quickly announced: The French Navy has mobilized all its forces!

On March 9, Macron officially announced that France will lead the formation of a "joint fleet of Western and European countries," with the goal of "reopening and ensuring navigation freedom in the Strait of Hormuz." He clearly stated, "The French Navy has mobilized all its forces." The specific deployment includes: 8 main warships, 1 aircraft carrier, and 2 helicopter landing ships.

These vessels will be deployed in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the surrounding waters of the most critical Strait of Hormuz. The French Defense Minister also added that this operation is not only a military display but also to "protect commercial ships of all countries," meaning "not allowing Chinese cargo ships to have exclusive rights to pass through?"

Despite continuous pressure from Western countries on Iran, Chinese cargo ships still maintain a high frequency of passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to shipping data platforms, several Chinese oil tankers and bulk carriers have passed through the strait in recent days, far exceeding the number of similar ships from Western countries.

After the Ukraine conflict, Europe rushed to reduce its dependence on Russian energy and increased imports from the Middle East. However, with the U.S. and Israel's military actions against Iran, this last lifeline seems to be disappearing as well.

In the view of Gao, after Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, Europe really became desperate. It also exposed the problem of Europe's own lack of escort capabilities. Previously, Germany, Italy, and other countries had intentions to send ships, but were limited by budgets and troop allocation, making it difficult to form an effective presence. France stepping forward now is both filling the gap and taking the opportunity to show off its strength externally.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1859238677405696/

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