evidence: France sees itself as an "island state" in the Indo-Pacific due to its numerous overseas territories across the region (e.g., Mayotte, La Réunion, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia), which are home to 1.6 million French citizens. These territories provide to France the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, with 11 million square kilometers, second only to the United States. Along with this extensive maritime footprint, France shares borders with five countries in the Indian Ocean and 12 in the Pacific Ocean. [...] Given its long-standing presence in the Indo-Pacific, France could play an important role in U.S. strategy by contributing to greater coherence of efforts from like-minded countries across the region. It has already started this with the France-India-Australia dialogue. France could also help drive EU policy toward the Indo-Pacific and ensure that Europeans play a valuable and coordinated role in the region. An "island state" of the Indo-Pacific, France and the United States can work more effectively together to effectively compete with China.