France–Myanmar relations
France |
Myanmar |
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France-Myanmar relations are the
History
French shipyard in Syriam (1729–1742)
The
Intervention in Burma (1751)
A few years later, a Mon envoy visited Dupleix requesting French help in the fight against the Burmese.
Governor Thomas Saunders of
However, Dupleix's proposals to take control of the Irrawaddy delta were rejected by the French government, strongly limiting his capacity to intervene there.[9]
Participation in the Burman-Mon conflict (1751–1756)
Following their 1740 revolt against Burmese rule, the
In Syriam, Sieur de Bruno was helping the Mons in organizing their defense.
Alaungpaya on the other hand was asking the British for guns and ammunitions.[16] Alaungpaya managed to capture Syriam in July 1756.[18] Sieur de Bruno and the other French with him were captured and tortured. Two French ships arriving two days after the capture of Syriam, Fleury and Galathée,[19] with reinforcements and supplies were also captured by Alaungpaya, when Alaungpaya forced Bruno to write a letter to trick them. The French captains were killed and the 200 sailors forced to join the Burmese army[18][19] Sieur de Bruno was roasted to death.[18] From the two ships, Alaugpaya managed to put his hands on 35 ships guns (24 pounders), five field guns, 1300 muskets, and a large quantity of ammunitions.[19] France was precluded from further intervention in Burma, with the advent of the Seven Years' War in Europe (1756–1763).
French elite corps
The French troops with their guns and muskets were incorporated in the Burmese army as gunners, and played a key role in the later battles between the Burmese and the Mons. They were treated well and received Burmese wives.
When they reached old age, the French soldiers were able to retire
Resumption of official contacts (1769)
In 1769, a French embassy led by
The arrival of the embassy was facilitated by Chevalier Milard. The king of Burma Hsinbyushin welcomed Feraud's embassy,[21] and accepted Ferraud's offer for trade, in exchange for the supply of guns and ammunitions.[22] The king remitted a letter of agreement, which Feraud brought back to Pondicherry.
Given the previous involvement of the French with the dissident Mon under Sieur de Bruno, the king of Burma clearly specified that French arm trade should involve him only.[23] As a result of the embassy, the French obtained a large ground in
Franco-British rivalry (19th century)
With the advent of the
In 1872, king
The French government recalled Haas, who was removed allegedly "for reasons of health". While the French had backed down in Burma, the French actions as well as many other events nevertheless convinced the British to finally annex Upper Burma.
With the completion of British rule in Burma, French interest in Burma would become almost non-existent, while France would concentrate in the establishment of French Indochina from the second half of the 19th century.[citation needed]
20th century
Following the end of World War II, ambassador-level diplomatic relationships between France and Burma were established in 1948, soon after the Burmese nation became an independent republic on 4 January 1948, as Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu as its first Prime Minister.
Modern relations
Since the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, the French Government has strongly condemned the ruling junta and "the systematic dismantling of the rule of law in Burma that has taken place since the coup d'état.".[31]
On June, 7, 2022 Myanmar's junta expressed strong displeasure at a French embassy statement calling it an "illegitimate military regime", warning of potential harm to bilateral relations.[32]
In September 2023, France pledges to support international efforts for justice and accountability in the
Economic relations
Trade between France and Myanmar has increased significantly since 2012: French exports to Myanmar rose from €19 million in 2012 to €129 million in 2017 and imports from €66.1 million to €224 million. In 2018, France was the 12th largest investor in Myanmar.[34]
In January 2022, French oil giant TotalEnergies announced it would be withdrawing from Myanmar over "worsening human rights abuses".[35][36]
High level visits
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In July 2013, Myanmar President Thein Sein met French President François Hollande in Paris.[37] This was the first ever visit of a Myanmar head of state to France.[38]
In June 2016, French Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault visited Myanmar.[39]
In July 2017, French Trade Minister Nicole Bricq visited Myanmar.[40]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Hall, Burma, p. 78.
- ^ Harrison, p. 148.
- ^ Hall, Europe and Burma, p. 62. ("Dupleix promised them men and munitions, but before deciding how far to commit himself he sent over his agent, the Sieur de Bruno, to Pegu.")
- ^ Hall, Burma, p. 78–79.
- ^ Hall, Burma, p. 79.
- ^ Harrison, p. 148. ("Soon after his arrival in 1751 the agent, Sieur de Bruno, reported back to Pondicherry that the Irrawaddy delta could easily be conquered by a small force.")
- ^ Liang, p. 14. ("In July 1751, Dupleix sent Sieur de Bruno to Burma and negotiated a treaty by which, in return for commercial concessions, the Mons were to receive substantial French aid.")
- ^ Lamb, p. 64. ("In 1751 Dupleix sent the Sieur de Bruno to Pegu to initiate an alliance between the French and the Mon Government at Pegu against the Burmans.")
- ^ Hall, Burma, p. 80
- ^ The New Encyclopædia Britannica, page 752, Robert McHenry, 1993: "Assailed from all sides, Ava fell to the Mons in 1752; and the whole of Myanmar passed under Mon rule".
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica 1970 Page 441 "In 1752 they captured Ava and the Toungoo dynasty finally collapsed"
- ^ Lang, p. 28.
- ^ Hall, Burma, p. 77
- ^ Hall, Burma, p. 78, 81.
- ^ Hall, A History of South-east Asia, p. 382. ("Moreover, the Mons were aided by a brilliant Frenchman, the Sieur de Bruno, whom Dupleix had sent some years earlier to Pegu as his agent.")
- ^ a b Hall, Burma, p. 81
- ^ a b c Findlay, p. 277
- ^ a b c Hall, Burma, p. 82.
- ^ a b c d e Harvey, p. 231.
- ^ Myint-U, p. 27
- ^ Burma: A Historical and Political Analysis, page 17 by Frank N. Trager, 1966: "he acknowledged the presents of their ambassador, Feraud..."
- ^ James, Helen. "Hsinbyushin". In Ooi, p. 611.
- ^ a b Koenig
- ^ SOAS, p. 194
- ^ The United States and Burma, page 79 by John F. Cady, 1976: "In 1872, Mindon had dispatched a high-level diplomatic mission to Europe, headed by his confidant, the Kinwun Mingyi"
- ^ a b c Chandler & Steinberg, p. 181.
- ^ Burma Under British Rule—and Before, page 56 by John Nisbet, 1901 [1]
- ^ Morrison, p. 29
- ^ Myint-U, p. 188
- ^ Rapson et al., p. 437. ("What forced the English to act was that France, having won an empire in Indo-China, now tried to dominate Upper Burma by peaceful penetration.")
- ^ "Burma/Myanmar - the political situation". Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France). 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "Myanmar Junta Slams France Over 'Illegitimate' Snub, Threatens Ties". The Irrawaddy. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Joint Statement Bangladesh – France : Partnership for Peace, Prosperity and People". elysee.fr. 2023-09-11. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "France and Myanmar". Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France). 2018-06-01. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "French oil giant TotalEnergies withdraws from Myanmar over 'worsening' human rights abuses". France 24. 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "2 big energy firms exit Myanmar over human rights abuses by the military government". NPR. 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "Hollande urged to push Myanmar reform as Thein Sein visits Paris". Radio France Internationale. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "Interview: The French Connection". 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ Prashanth Parameswaran (2016-06-14). "France's Foreign Minister to Visit Myanmar". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
- ^ "French trade minister to visit Myanmar next week". Radio France Internationale. 2017-07-25. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
References
- Hall, D.G.E. Burma (3rd edition). Hutchison (1960). OCLC 4379359.
- Hall, D.G.E. Europe and Burma: A Study of European Relations with Burma to the Annexation of Thibaw's Kingdom, 1886. Oxford University Press (1945). OCLC 1444846.
- Hall, D.G.E. A History of South-east Asia. Macmillan, St. Martin's Press (1964). OCLC 411176.
- Harrison, Brian. South-east Asia: A Short History (2nd edition). Macmillan (1963). OCLC 1239026.
- Findlay, Ronald and Kevin H. O'Rourke. Power and Plenty: Trade, War, and the World Economy in the Second Millennium. Princeton University Press (2007). ISBN 978-0-691-11854-3.
- Harvey, G.E. History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. Asian Educational Services (2000). ISBN 978-81-206-1365-2.
- Koenig, William J. The Burmese Polity, 1752–1819. Center for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Michigan (1990). ISBN 978-0-89148-056-3.
- Lamb, Alastair. The Mandarin Road to Old Hué: Narratives of Anglo-Vietnamese Diplomacy. Chatto & Windus (1970). OCLC 107258.
- Liang, Chi Shad. Burma's Foreign Relations: Neutralism in Theory and Practise. Praeger (1990). ISBN 978-0-275-93455-2.
- Myint-U, Thant. The Making of Modern Burma. Cambridge University Press (2001). ISBN 978-0-521-79914-0.
- Ooi, Keat Gin. Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor. ABC-CLIO (2004) ISBN 978-1-57607-770-2.
- Rapson, Edward James et al. The Cambridge History of India. Cambridge University Press (1932). OCLC 875984.
- SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research, Vol. 2, No. 2, Autumn 2004, ISSN 1479-8484 ("A voyage to Pegu", translation of A Voyage to the East-Indies and China; Performed by Order of Lewis XV. Between the Years 1774 and 1781. Containing A Description of the Manners, Religion, Arts, and Scieneces, of the Indians, Chinese, Pegouins, and of the Islanders of Madagascar; Also Observations on the Cape of Good Hope, the Isles of Ceylon, Malacca, the Philippines, and Moluccas. by Pierre Sonnerat, Commissary of the Marine, (Vol. III, book 4, chapter 2). [2]
External links
- Miscellaneous Letters on Burma, 1755–1760, I [3]