The French Navy destroyer Lorraine arrived on Friday in Manila for a port visit and series of activities intended at strengthening the military alliance between France and the Philippines.
In a statement released by the French Embassy in Manila, the French warship docked at the port of Manila around 9 a.m. on Friday.
The embassy said the visit of the French Navy destroyer was intended to “contribute to regional security by projecting assets from those islands in the region or coming from Europe.” It came at the heels of China’s continued aggression in the South China Sea and incursion into the West Philippine Sea.
Her port call coincides with the official visit of Rear Admiral Geoffroy d’Andigné, joint commander of the French Armed Forces in Asia-Pacific Zone, who will arrive in Manila on June 26.
D’Andigné will meet with Philippine military and diplomatic officials as Manila expands its military ties with the West.
Before arriving in the Philippines, Lorraine has been undergoing Long Duration Deployment (LDD) since April 3 before her commissioning to verify its military capabilities, the embassy said.
Manned by a seasoned crew capable of conducting operations in all types of environment, Lorraine is training for aircraft carrier escort, anti-submarine warfare and combating air threats.
Lorraine’s port call reaffirms the French intent to “contribute to regional security by projecting assets from those islands in the region or coming from Europe.”
“As Asia-Pacific is the center of gravity for Lorraine’s deployment, it has interacted with a number of France’s strategic partners, such as the United States and Japan,” the embassy said.
“It is thus helping to strengthen the interoperability and mutual understanding of our navies, as well as the ties that bind France to these partners as well as the Philippines,” it added.
During her stopover in Manila, Lorraine will conduct several cooperation activities and high-level professional exchanges with Filipino authorities, the embassy said.
“These regular high-level interactions illustrate the interoperability and trust between our two armed forces,” the embassy added.
