France, Philippines, Vietnam
New defence attachés carry French hopes for armament contracts in Indo-Pacific

Vietnam
French firms see odds lengthen as Hanoi considers frigate options

Vietnamese authorities are closely exploring French options for acquiring new frigates. But despite having requested information from French industrial groups, Hanoi looks increasingly unlikely to buy from them.

Europe, Philippines
European networks actively lobbying for the Philippine rebellion in Brussels

To organise their people's court in Brussels, aimed at denouncing Manila's crackdown on the rebellion, Filipino communists tapped into the European ‘anti-imperialist' movement. They hope to secure a better position in the forthcoming peace negotiations with the government.

Malaysia, Turkey
Malaysian defence minister to prospect in Ankara for new submarine contract

Kuala Lumpur and Ankara are set to sign off on a contract for the Malaysian armed forces to acquire littoral mission ships built by Turkey's STM. Beyond this symbolic deal, the prospect of acquiring submarines could also be up for discussion.

The Intelligence Gazette
Priority on foreign interference, Malaysia-China secret maritime deal, new adviser to France's CNCTR

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

AustraliaGovernment increases spending on fight against foreign interference and financial intelligence

China/MalaysiaKuala Lumpur and Beijing's discreet South China Sea agreement

FranceEx-adviser to Macron's Renaissance party joins CNCTR commission

The Intelligence Gazette
Chinese PM's flights downgraded, new French Defence Attaché in Beijing, DGSE's spy writers

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

China PM snubbed on state flights

France/China New French Defence Attaché in Beijing

France Spy writers churning out the books at DGSE

Vietnam
Thales and Lockheed Martin still hopeful in race for Vietnamese telecommunications satellite

Vietnam's Vinasat-3 telecommunications satellite project has ground to a halt, ensnared by power struggles in Hanoi, but the Western groups bidding to be onboard have not lost hope.

Philippines, Vietnam
Manila and Hanoi bypass ASEAN on South China Sea dispute

To circumvent the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' unanimity rule, high-level officials from the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia have joined forces to tackle their South China Sea dispute with China.

Philippines, South Korea
Seoul's submarines stuck en route to Manila

Despite Philippine defence undersecretary Irineo Espino's visit to South Korea last month, progress in Manila's submarine purchase deal is slow, hampered by Hanwha Ocean's supply difficulties with TKMS.

Japan, Philippines
US, Japan and Philippines in three-way radar data collection alliance against China

US and Japanese aid programmes to supply the Philippines with coastal radar are part of a secret intelligence-sharing deal between the three countries.

Spotlight | France, Philippines
France hopes to cash in on Philippine armed forces' modernisation

Sitting just south of the Taiwan Strait in the South China Sea, the Philippines is pouring money into modernising its armed forces, starting with the navy. Paris, which is poised to appoint a defence attaché to Manila, is pushing to have French industry involved.

Vietnam
ASIADEV guides French firms in Vietnam

Consultancy firm ASIADEV uses its broad Franco-Vietnamese network to steer French companies wanting to do business in Vietnam, especially in the defence industry, in which Hanoi has been investing significantly in recent years.

France, Vietnam
Convicted Vietnamese defence agent Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan's French connections

Wanted on corruption charges, the former CEO of AIC Group, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, who served as a go-between for Western defence companies in Vietnam, is now on the run in China. Before that, she built an extensive network of contacts in France's political and defence circles.