Even COVID-19 crisis has not made tensions abate in Indo-Pacific region: France; Says monitoring developments

Even the coronavirus crisis has not made tensions "abate" in the Indo-Pacific, and both India and France are aware of the ongoing activities in the region, French Ambassador said on Wednesday, in an oblique reference to China's muscular military deployment in the strategic waters at a time when the world is battling the pandemic.

In an interview to PTI,French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenainalso talked about the scourge of cross-border terrorism faced by India, and asserted that Pakistan must implement the action plan prescribed by global anti-terror watchdog FATF in containing the menace emanating from its soil.

"France has always supported India in combating terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism," he said, adding"We are pleased that fighting terror funding is an area in which we are working together with India."
Asserting that France was monitoring developments in the Indo-Pacific region, the envoy said "We have seen it over the past few weeks (that even) the pandemic hasn't made tensions abate in this region, particularly in the South China Sea."
Following China's rising military presence, the US has sent additional deployment to the South China Sea, a strategically key trade route linking Southeast Asia with