Papeete: President Emmanuel Macron reiterated the presence of France in the Pacific in a visit to French Polynesia which aims to fight Chinese dominance that grew in the region.
The trip was also designed to underline government support for Polynesia, and heal wounds for nuclear testing in the inolls of former colonies, half the world of roads from Paris.
Macron stopped apologizing on Tuesday, but acknowledged France’s “debt” to Polynesia for underground and atmospheric tests, which took place from 1966-1996.
He promises money for a cyclone protection to help the island region overcoming climate change, and more help in fighting viruses in the area where most of the islands do not have airports, and achieve emergency services can be a clock question, or even days.
His host showered him with a bouquet of flowers on arrival in Tahiti, and the singer in a traditional straw skirt crossed Marseillaise in the Marquesas Islands while Macron, in the standard setting and tie, stood up with attention.
He said Polynesia “touched it to the heart,” and that the French community in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean have an important role to play in its geopolitical strategy.
“We have a new page to be written together,” he said about French Polynesia, who had enjoyed special autonomous status since 2004, but was still supervised by Paris.
He described the “extraordinary fortune” of France to have land in the Pacific, “where everything was written today.” China’s ambition for this region is the center of this trip.
He talked about “confrontation between the great world power” in the region and said France rely on the partnership established in recent years with Australia, New Zealand, India and Japan.
“Woe to small people who will suffer from hegemonic power attacks,” Macron said.
He warned Polynesian people to “beware of” exotic “or” adventurous “projects that promise work that might never be realized.
China is the largest trading partner for its Asia-Pacific neighbors, who want to get profit from high taste for industrial components and iron ore, wood, oil and food.
But they are not comfortable about the use of access to Beijing to markets to encourage political concessions.
France, the United States, Japan and other government worrying China strives to gain influence in their strategic fields.
Macron promised that France would “protect” the fisheries community, communication networks, and other infrastructure, especially through more investments.
After 600 million euros ($ 708 million) in additional expenditures to help businesses and health care facilities in the middle of a pandemic, Macron promised an additional 300 million euros ($ 354 million) in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, and long-term financing for a medical evacuation system For remote islands.
With a multi-ethnic population of around 300,000, French Polynesia consists of five archipelages with a total of 118 islands.
The virus outbreak is one of the worst in this region, which many people blame people who come from mainland France, including military arrivals.
Macron also promised to extend the tax break for sustainable fishing and announced a program of 50 million euros ($ 59 million) to establish 17 cyclone shelter.
The promises were largely welcomed.
But the French nuclear heritage is the largest thorn in the relationship between French Polynesia with Paris.
Apart from the prohibition of demonstrations for reasons of the virus, members of the nuclear association still gathered and demanded attention to their concerns.
Macron promised to raise the “shadow floating” over the history of Nuclear France.
He defended Charles de Gaulle’s decision to make French nuclear power as “important, visionary, bold” and said the country’s nuclear arsenal were more important than before, “in the face of dangerous nations.” But he acknowledged the choice of having consequences.
“We cannot say that (test) clean,” recognizing Macron, said France had “debt to French Polynesia.” He confirmed the government would be responsible for cleaning contaminated soil, opening government archives, creating a permanent mediator between the state and the community about the problem – and accelerating compensation to the local population.
Ten years after the first compensation claim was completed, local authorities only said 186 cases had been completed from 416.