France and Indonesia vow to boost safety in Indo-Pacific as tensions between EU and Beijing persist

News Snapshot:

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — France and Indonesia ‘s top diplomats on Wednesday signed an agreement for a maritime security project aiming “to ensure peace and safety” at sea in the Indo-Pacific region. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot’s visit to Jakarta, his second stop in his four-day Asia tour after Singapore, comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the European Union and Beijing. He told reporters on Wednesday that the Indo-Pacific Port Security Project “is close to my heart,” promising France’s support. Neither he nor his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono shared details of what the project will entail. Earlier this month, during a...