In Geopolitics Today - Friday, December 3rd
UAE & France Sign Multiple Agreements and Lithuanian Goods Stuck in Chinese Ports
UAE & France Sign Multiple Agreements
France and the United Arab Emirates have signed multiple deals worth roughly $18 billion. The deals signed cover the delivery of 80 Rafale F4 warplanes manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation. Outside of the French armed forces, this is the most significant order of the warplane by any customer, and will further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. France enjoys deep ties to the UAE, operating a large naval base in the Gulf country on top of a major military facility outside Abu Dhabi which houses French warplanes and personnel.
Both countries remain mistrustful of Islamist political parties across the Middle East, so the signed deals will work to further bolster the bilateral relationship beyond just the transfer of arms, and into areas where interests of both countries align. Both back the same side in Libya’s civil war, both remain concerned about Turkey’s growing power in the region, and the current leadership in Abu Dhabi and Paris also enjoy a good personal relationship as they continue to facilitate two-way investments between both countries. The deals signed between the two also work to expand their relationship toward increased military alignment. By selling advanced fighters and helicopters to the UAE, France hopes to not only find an eager buyer for its defence equipment, but also to facilitate closer military ties by sharing similar defence equipment which will work to promote “operational cooperation” between their armed forces.
France is looking to offset the losses emanating from the now scrapped $66bn contract to build 12 submarines for Australia, so these deals with the UAE comes as a huge boost to the French defence industry. French Defence Minister, Florence Parly, has called the deals a “historic contract” between the two countries, a cooperative framework which will directly contribute to “regional stability.” French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, which builds the Rafale F4 making up the bulk of the value in these deals, has revealed that the UAE will be receiving an upgraded F4 version of its multirole combat aircraft, making the Emirates Air Force the first country besides France to have access to the Rafale F4. But delivery of the aircraft will take time as the F4 Rafale remains under development, with Abu Dhabi expected to receive its first batch sometime in 2027.
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Lithuanian Goods Stuck in Chinese Ports
Lithuania has issued a complaint that China has delisted the country in its ports and is thereby refusing import applications. Ties between the two countries have been particularly rattled by Lithuania’s announcement in July to accept a request by Taiwanese officials to open a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius. In doing so, Lithuania has severely angered China, with China’s foreign ministry accusing Lithuania of crossing a “red line” as Beijing urged it an immediate rectification of the issue. But Lithuania has not backed down, and, with assistance and backing from the United States, continues to champion a resistance to Beijing’s influence within the EU.
Following Lithuania’s decision to allow Taiwanese representatives to open an office in Vilnius, China reacted with furore, and has hit back by both lowering its diplomatic relations and suspending consular services with the country. Since then, ties between the two have only deteriorated further. Lithuania has enraged China by advising its government officials to cease the use of Chinese-made phones, by cosying up to Taiwanese officials and by quitting a Chinese-led European forum. In response, Beijing has recalled its ambassador, halted Chinese cargo trains going into the country and has made it more difficult for Lithuanian exporters to sell their goods on the Chinese market. While Lithuania is a rather meek adversary for China, the country has significance as a transit corridor for trains carrying goods from China to the European market, which forms a part of the reason why the country enjoys strong backing from the United States in its disuputes with Beijing.
The Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, recently visited Washington where he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who pledged “ironclad” support for Lithuania against China. Responding to Beijing’s latest move to blacklist imports from Lithuania, Landsbergis condemned the “unannounced sanctions,” and said his country would seek further assistance from the European Commission. The Commission has responded by stating that it is in close contact with Vilnius and EU representatives in Beijing to clarify the issue, but no decision on how to respond has been made thus far. Lithuania’s defence is entirely dependent on US security guarantees, so Lithuanian alignment with the US on policies seeking to check China’s power are not entirely surprising given a pro-American conservative party is in power in Vilnius.
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