Monday’s Nikkei reported from Paris that French Foreign Minister Le Drian said in a written interview with Nikkei that France is “ready to act” to stabilize the Taiwan Strait, where the military threat posed by China is rising. Le Drian reportedly said France will strengthen ties with Japan and hinted at sending troops to surrounding waters to keep China in check. In addition, the French foreign minister criticized attempts to change the status quo without mentioning China by name and stressed that France is “ready to act to prevent a conflict.” Noting that France has a military base in New Caledonia, the paper said Le Drian pointed out that the stability of the Taiwan Strait is important for the stability of the region as a whole. According to the daily, Le Drian also said France is willing to sign a free trade agreement or investment agreement between the EU and Taiwan.