Australia and France's new Indo-Pacific alliance will help keep a check on China's infrastructure projects in the region and ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, French President Emmanuel Macron says.
Mr Macron took to the deck of HMAS Canberra at Sydney's Garden Island naval base on Wednesday to flesh out his vision for what he calls the new Indo-Pacific axis after holding several hours of bilateral talks with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
France's youngest president, and only the second to visit Australia, said its main aim was to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific as it was facing a new series of "game changes", including the rise of China.
But he warned against countries like Australia trying to oppose China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, which Beijing says will promote economic growth across the region, home to more than 1.5 French citizens spread across Reunion Island, Mayotte, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the Indian Ocean, and French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna in the Pacific.
Concerns have been mounting in Australia about the program amid reports that Beijing was keen to build a military base in Vanautu and an airport for tourists in the Solomon Islands.
Mr Macron said rather than opposing the infrastructure projects, it was essential countries like Australia and France seized the chance to "define the rules of the game" and make sure the international rule of law and sovereignty was respected by China.
"We are not naive," Mr Macron said.
"If we want to be seen and respected as an equal partner by China we have to organise ourselves.
"That's why I do think it's very important to build together, given this change, a common strategy, a common partnership."
The other main aims of the alliance were to focus on ways to combat threats posed to the region by terrorism, trafficking and climate change.
Mr Macron said France would also work with Australia to ensure freedom of navigation in the region, and was willing to use its frigates, submarines and aircraft to "be sure this neutrality and this freedom of circulation is fully ensured".
Mr Turnbull joined ASEAN leaders in stressing the importance of non-militarisation, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea during a summit in March.
The 10-member bloc is working on a code of conduct in the hope it will help ease tensions over the hotly-contested waterway, which is largely controlled by China but to which Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei also lay claim.
Mr Macron said increasing tensions over sovereignty were a threat to peace and stability, making it important for Australia and France to strengthen their defence ties.
Both countries, along with India and eight other Pacific countries, will take part in the biennial Croix du Sud, or Southern Cross, military exercises, off New Caledonia later this month.
Earlier after their talks at Kirribilli House, Mr Turnbull described France as a "Pacific Ocean power", which was well placed to work with Australia on infrastructure and humanitarian relief in the region.
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