Kryskov wrote:Mishmahig wrote:The region is one of the most expansive and vast on the entire planet, spanning the Indonesian, Chinese, and Japanese cultures to the Metis of the Pacific Republic to the Hispanic populations of Mexico, Colombia, and Charcas. Cultural uniformity would be impossible over even a small stretch of that, and the French possessions within the region are very much of the "Pacific Culture". Similarly, I'm not sure why culture matters with regards to an economic pact.
I assume you'll clarify this to mean "focus" or some such -- in which case, France has numerous administrative regions in the area -- New Zealand, Hawaii, and Indochina -- all of which engage in a considerable degree of trade within the Pacific. Hawaii itself practically exists as a trading port, a stopover halfway across the ocean, rendering the French the essential middlemen suppliers of the trans-Pacific trade routes. Chinese administration of Socotra is incomparable to that.
As for Indochina -- the French are unwilling to give the Indochinese independence, given that the Japanese, Mughals, and Chinese fight for influence and control in the neighboring Kingdom of Siam. Independence would serve only to push the Indochinese under the control of a less-benevolent power.
What ethnicity is the ruler of France? What is his primary language and culture?
There is no ruler of France. The current Prime Minister is Breton, while the President is a Parisian, and several Ministers are Gascon/Occitan. France itself has little to no unified culture -- their identity has truly only developed since the time of Napoleon.
Kryskov wrote:I primarily mean that, no matter how developed "French" institutions are, the primary governing institution does not lie in the Pacific, or even in Asia for that matter.
Primary governing institution of Eurasia is in Moscow, which is in that vague area between Europe and Asia, while Russia has historically (and in this time line) had a focus towards European interactions.
Primary governing institutions in Colombia are split between the Caribbean and the Pacific, presumably, while the government has had minimal contact with nations on the opposite side of the Pacific. The same goes for Charcas, Mexico, and Chile. In all four cases, they've been European/American-aligned more than their counterparts across the ocean.
The Dutch have a federal structure -- their Australian and Indonesian states would certainly have a primary focus in the Pacific/Asiatic regions, and make up a majority of the land mass of the United Provinces.
In short, there's no unified trans-Pacific culture, consistent interest, or large-scale interaction among the nations that border it. The only guideline that you're using is "Does their capital border the Pacific?" If you include the Mughals in this pact--- as the Pacific Republic did --then that argument vanishes as well.
Kryskov wrote:The minds of Paris do not lie on Asia, but of metropolitan France. And this is why China cannot be in a Pacific Pact with France- it is not a Pacific power.
Minds of Paris are focused on business and the administration of their nation, which includes their Pacific holdings.
Kryskov wrote:I haven't noticed really any recent IC posts about Siam (forgive me if I'm wrong). And besides, it appears that they are in Dutch hands
They're not. They're an independent nation under competing Mughal and Japanese influence/domination.
Kryskov wrote: which makes China only more committed to pursuing de-colonization. It is evident that Europe cannot leave Asia alone.
It's actually Asiatic nations that are doing this. Europe's already come and done their colonization spree, and de-colonization's not going to happen for another ~20-70 years, at best. Besides, the only true colonial empire is (possibly) Iberia -- France and the UP have already enacted progressive autonomy and federalized structures, respectively.
Kryskov wrote:If China needs to defend the sovereignty of the people of the region, by itself, and by military force, it will do so. Consider this a warning to all European nations to stop further aggressive expansion (which includes sphereing) in East and SE Asia.
There's only one nation left in Asia that can reasonably be sphered, and that's Siam, which is being sphered between the Japanese and the Mughals. It appears as if China needs to take care of the other colonial/imperialistic Asiatic powers before warning off the Europeans.
