France, March 1 -- As Australia announces plans to double its naval fleet and boost defence spending, the country is also looking to France to help counter China's expanding influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Last week,Australia outlined a 10-year plan to double its fleet of major warships and boost defence spending by the equivalent of €6.5 billion.

"It is the largest fleet that we will have since the end of the Second World War," said Defence Minister Richard Marles.

In an op-ed for China's Global Times, which often echos the official line of the Communist Party, analyst Qin Sheng accused Australia of descending "into the abyss of an arms race" caused by the US, which "has been using its influence to peddle a cold war mental...