Céline PAJON
Research Fellow, Head of Japan and Indo-Pacific Research,
Center for Asian Studies, Ifri
Research Interests:
- Japanese foreign and defense policy
- International relations and geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific
- French and European approaches to the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Islands
Celine Pajon is Head of Japan Research at the Center for Asian Studies of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), Paris, where she has been a Research Fellow since 2008. She also coordinates the research program on Pacific Islands, set up in March 2022. Céline is a Senior Researcher with the Japan Chair at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) and an International Research Fellow with the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS) in Tokyo. Her area of expertise is Japan’s foreign and defense policy, as well as geostrategic dynamics of the Indo-Pacific area, including the position of France and Europe in the region, and their policies vis à vis the Pacific Islands. A graduate from the Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and Sciences Po Lyon, Céline also studied in Waseda University (Tokyo) and Osaka University.
She tweets @CelinePajon
The deployment of the French Navy’s multi-mission frigate (FREMM) Bretagne in the Indo-Pacific in recent months demonstrates France’s capability to project power far from the mainland and solidifies its Indo-Pacific strategy.
The expansion of security and defense cooperation stands as the most spectacular change in Japan’s contribution to the region in recent years.
This article has been extracted from the magazine Question internationales - n°118 - Avril-mai 2023.
...
Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to France hit the headlines. President Macron rolled out the red carpet to welcome his guest, hoping to convince China to limit its support for Russia and respect fair trade rules.
A little known regional dialogue offers France and other countries a chance to contribute to the “Pacific way”.
The South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting (SPDMM) is taking place in Nouméa (New Caledonia) from December 4th to 6th of this year.
As US-China rivalry reaches its peak and the likelihood of a high-intensity conflict in the region seems greater than ever, this report advocates for a pragmatic recalibration of France’s strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific. This adjustment should be grounded in a realistic reframing of...
France was the first European country to announce an Indo-Pacific strategy, launching it in 2018.
Korea (ROK) held the first Korea–Pacific Islands Summit at head-of-state level on May 29/30 and entered an already crowded Pacific region.
Pacific leaders will gather in Tokyo for the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) from Tuesday to Thursday.
France is headed for a hung parliament after none of the political parties that contested Sunday’s parliamentary runoff vote managed to secure an outright majority — a situation that could put the country on a path for months of political gridlock.
Japan PM's low-key visit to Paris yielded significant bilateral initiatives. French President Emmanuel Macron rolled out the red carpet to greet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, hoping to somehow persuade him to curb his country's support for Russia's war in Ukraine and to play by...
President offers 'alternative' for states squeezed between U.S. and China
While the impact of Kishida’s tour is ‘marginal, it can still send ‘a message of solidarity’ that it intends to take the continent’s concerns seriously. Getting the African countries to take active measures against Russia will be difficult if they are not offered strong incentives in exchange,...
More realistic posture would strengthen Paris' role in Indo-Pacific region
One of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s top goals for next month’s Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima is to create a united front on issues like China and Ukraine. But finding a unified approach to dealing with Beijing’s assertiveness might have just become harder.<...>
Japan has been investing in the continent for longer than China and applies international standards to its infrastructure financing, analysts said. Its pockets may not be as deep, but its support of good governance and democratic principles makes it a tempting development partner for...