Philippine and French forces are expected to hold combined naval and air exercises at the West Philippine Sea as the French Navy’s aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle visits the country for the first time.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief said the military welcomes the visit of the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) as part of Mission Clemenceau 25.

Trinidad said this historic stopover marks the first visit of the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle to the Philippines, as it makes an operational break in Subic Bay and Manila on February 22.

"The French Navy forces are expected to conduct combined naval and air exercises alongside the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

In a statement, the Embassy of France in Manila said "before the stopover of the French CSG, the Philippine Air Force will conduct air interactions with the Navy Rafale of the embarked carrier air wing. A destroyer of the CSG will also take part in a bilateral interaction with BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Gregorio Del Pilar".

"The French Ambassador to the Philippines, Marie Fontanel, and several high-rank military authorities from the three forces will embark on-board the Charles De Gaulle at sea, on the 21st February prior to the berthing in the different locations, for an official visit and a presentation of Clemenceau 25 mission," it stated.

"The stopover also gives the crews a chance to discover the Philippines, interact with Filipinos and meet the NGO Anak-Tnk, which is organizing a basketball match between sailors and young people hosted by the foundation," it added.

The Embassy noted that the "aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, two multi-mission destroyers, an air defense destroyer and the auxiliary oil replenishment ship Jacques Chevallier will dock in the Philippines more than 12,000 kilometers from their home port Toulon, in metropolitan France, after two and a half months of deployment."

"The arrival of the CSG in Subic Bay and Manila is part of the framework of the letter of intent signed in December 2023 between France and the Philippines by the Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu. This letter of intent aims in particular at developing military cooperation and interactions between the armed forces of the two countries," the Embassy stated. Robina Asido/DMS