Paris [France], July 16 (ANI): France’s newly released 2025 National Strategic Review has raised alarms over China’s military posture in East Asia, warning of growing instability in the Taiwan Strait due to Beijing’s intensified pressure on Taipei, Focus Taiwan reported.
According to the report, published Monday, repeated and large-scale Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan in 2024 and 2025 represent a significant escalation in Beijing’s coercive tactics. These actions are part of China’s broader objective to impose a fait accompli in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, Focus Taiwan reported.
“The regional situation is particularly dangerous and volatile,” the report stated, citing both the rising military activity and “uncertainty over the security guarantees provided by the United States to its Asian allies and partners,” especially in light of shifts under former President Donald Trump.
France further warned that China is deploying hybrid strategies beyond conventional military tools to advance its ambitions. These include cyber operations, technological predation, and targeted infiltration of advanced defense technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and space systems, the review said.
The report also highlighted China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal. Unlike other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Beijing has refused to declare a moratorium on the production of fissile material — substances capable of sustaining nuclear fission. The review estimated that China could possess 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035.
France noted China’s ballistic capabilities as another area of concern, citing 310 ballistic missile launches conducted by Beijing in 2024 alone, as well as the recent firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile with a claimed range of 12,000 kilometers — seen as a strategic signal to both Taiwan and the United States.
Beyond Taiwan, the review expressed concerns about Chinese interest in French overseas territories, particularly New Caledonia, citing its strategic location and valuable nickel reserves.
The report also underscored Taiwan’s economic importance, especially its central role in the global semiconductor supply chain, which France warned could become a flashpoint for global economic disruption in the event of a conflict.
In response to these escalating threats, French President Emmanuel Macron recently confirmed an additional EUR 6.5 billion in military spending, accelerating the defense budget increase to EUR 64 billion by 2027 — two years ahead of schedule. (ANI)
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