Pacific nations to establish a "new coalition" to counter the "constraints and side effects" stemming from the growing U.S.-China rivalry. Macron's speech came as the European leader sought to play up the country as a counterweight to the two superpowers.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that the threat from China was real and potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs.