Visiting Fellow @ASPI_org + Adjunct Fellow @Ecole_navale, @IRSEM1, @IRASECBangkok. Views mine. RTs not endorsements.
Canberra, Australian Capital T
Joined February 2016
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Eric Frécon retweeted
Welcome to China's view of the South China Sea:
2012: The occupied Scarborough Shoal
2015: They promised no militarization at the White House Rose Garden Speech
2016: They boycotted the UNCLOS PCA Tribunal and rejected the judgement
2021: China Coast Guard Law grants authority to use weapons and take enforcement measures in maritime areas
2024: China authorized the Coast Guard to detain foreign ships and individuals
2026: They avoided ADMM-Plus ministerial level participation
And now:
➡️ They showcase themselves conducting law enforcement patrols at the Scarborough Shoal against 🇵🇭 fishermen.
On October 30, CCG conducted law-enforcement patrols in the territorial sea of #ScarboroughShoal and its surrounding areas to counter PCG' approaching and incursion.
Eric Frécon retweeted
One must wonder which ADMM statement and which clauses angered 🇨🇳 so much, that they scolded everyone following the meeting which their own Defense Minister avoided.
Perhaps it was this one:
UPHOLD the relevance of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus by anticipating and adapting to the evolving regional architecture, and facilitating collective and constructive efforts to address and respond to emerging and current security challenges in the region and beyond;
--
The world can only guess, what caused the temper tantrum by 🇨🇳 on the 20th anniversary of ADMM.
Eric Frécon retweeted
“NZ First has published its defence policy, proposing to cancel the purchase of new British or Japanese frigates to replace the ageing Anzac-class […]This makes unexpected bedfellows out of NZ First & the Greens who also want to torpedo the procurement” newsroom.co.nz/2026/10/29/nz…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Papua New Guinea security forces have launched an emergency operation at Napa Napa Wharf, Port Moresby, after intercepting military explosives, large-caliber artillery shell projectiles - allegedly linked to a Chinese criminal syndicate.
~Credits: PNG Garamut
facebook.com/share/p/193sQfL…
Eric Frécon retweeted
France and Chad are resuming military cooperation, with 2 Mirage 2000 + 1 CASA CN-235 making a stopover in N’Djamena 🇹🇩, 2 years after the defence agreement was terminated. Meanwhile, Algeria is deploying ground & air assets to Niger🇳🇪. These developments suggest that Russia’s military presence may not be meeting the security expectations of all #Sahel states, as regional powers reassess their strategic partnerships.
leparisien.fr/international/…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Some personal reflections on US defence Secretary Hegseth's proposal at the ADMM meeting for a US-ASEAN defence framework. #ASEAN #ADMM #Defence #regionalsecurity #southeastasia
channelnewsasia.com/asia/heg…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Team Europe in action at @IMARC_Mining! The first-ever EU Pavilion showcased 🇪🇺-🇦🇺 cooperation on critical minerals. From high-level discussions and networking to industry engagement and site visits, we're building more resilient supply chains and stronger partnerships.
Eric Frécon retweeted
Aujourd'hui, on apprend donc que D. #Trump s'apprêterait à lever les sanctions appliquées par les #EtatsUnis depuis 2022 sur le Fonds russe d'investissements directs, fonds souverain qui sert à #Poutine à influencer la politique internationale...1/ nytimes.com/2026/10/27/us/po…
Eric Frécon retweeted
“The argument that you would use these bases to disperse forces to me is a fantasy in the current reality. How can you disperse forces on bases that you can’t defend?”
postguam.com/news/local/anal…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Extreme sensitivity around this topic. @dfat officials won't even tell Estimates if they've received a request from Taiwan to open a Perth trade office. They hint request is likely to be denied ("appropriate to advance through offices already in Australia") but no real clarity
Eric Frécon retweeted
🇫🇷🇨🇳 L'ambassadeur de Chine en France @AmbassadeChine : "Vous chicanez toujours ces racontars du passé, vous n'êtes pas honnête."
@DariusRochebin : "Monsieur l'ambassadeur, vous appelez ça des racontars ?
- C'est ça. Des racontars.
- Les millions de morts causés par Mao Zedong, des racontars ?
- C'est pas juste, c'est pas précis.
- Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas précis ?
- Est-ce que vous avez fait des études ?" 😮
Vous saviez que la Chine était une puissance révisionniste, niant son passé et réécrivant l'Histoire.
Maintenant, vous savez qu'elle le fait avec agressivité et manque de respect.
🇫🇷🇨🇳 "Des racontars" : voilà comment l'ambassadeur de Chine en France, Deng Li @AmbassadeChine, qualifie les 80 millions de morts sous Mao Zedong.
Le Grand Bond en avant, la Révolution culturelle : tout cela n'a jamais existé.
Nous, les Occidentaux, les avons inventés pour diaboliser la Chine.
Et quand @DariusRochebin lui demande d'argumenter, Deng Li s'énerve, répète le mot "racontars" ("je ne suis pas venu ici pour discuter de ces racontars"), et nous parle des États-Unis (pourquoi ?) qui, selon des "rapports chinois", seraient bien "pires" sur les droits de l'homme que la Chine (ah, donc il reconnait quand même que la Chine est un peu responsable...).
La diplomatie des loups combattants devient la diplomatie des clowns 🤡
Eric Frécon retweeted
Former Guam delegate to Congress who chairs the Pacific Center for Island Security called the statement “a kind of trickle down transparency.” postguam.com/news/local/mili… via @postguam
Eric Frécon retweeted
C’est évidemment le domaine naval sur lequel tout le monde a l’œil en ce moment, du coup c’est pas mal de se rappeler que ceux qui sont le plus en pointe sur le sujet ne sont pas exactement des acteurs très amicaux.
#LeCollimateur se penche aujourd'hui sur la conflictualité qui se déploie dans le fond des mers, avec le contre-amiral Cédric Chetaille, ancien coordinateur de la stratégie pour les fonds marins et auteur de « Abysses. La guerre qui vient » (@AllaryEditions).
lerubicon.org/collimateur-27…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Big news. Woodside walks away from Greater Sunrise. Sells its 33% stake to Timor's state-owned oil and gas company Timor Gap for around $280 million AUD. Timor Gap will have full control of the asset after the sale. Some big questions looming now for Dili (and for Canberra)
Eric Frécon retweeted
One thing I particularly like about this visualisation is the way it clearly categorises and distinguishes between the different kinds of partnerships present in the Pacific. (1/5)
There have been more than 50 security arrangements signed by the 14 Pacific Islands countries. The @CSIS @AustraliaChair has a new interactive tool, “Mapping Security Influence in the Pacific” tracking all that's been going on.
Check it out here:
csis.org/programs/australia-…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Why Tonga's Chinese debt won't be forgiven, and who pays instead
By Jack Salmon
Why China won't forgive Tonga's Eximbank debt, and how Australian budget support is quietly covering the shortfall.
devpolicy.org/why-tongas-chi…
Eric Frécon retweeted
Critical questions being asked by @JLSousaSantos at a time when the @ForumSEC led regional architecture is both undergoing a review and under considerable pressure.
Having attended the 53rd PICP annual conference in Saipan and witnessed the establishment of #PacPol (the amalgamation of PICP and PPI) which is Pacific-led and partner supported, I am interested in how these initiatives contribute to the existing security architecture or do they create a competing and alternative architecture? @AusFedPolice @nzpolice @ForumSEC @dfat @MFATNZ