France's State Secretary for Overseas, Yves Jego, who has just started a five-day visit to French Polynesia, has rejected suggestions that France is pulling out of the territory.
Mr Jego has told local media that contrary to local perceptions, metropolitan France's "real" expenditure to French Polynesia, per capita, had increased by 42 per cent over the past three years.
But he does say that there's a need to reform a number of schemes, to ensure adaptation in a changing world.
Mr Jego says the emphasis should be placed on solving French Polynesia's economic and social problems to ensure future development.
The disquiet was triggered by the recent launch of a Defence White Paper, which recommended drastic cuts into the French Forces, which would impact on the large military contingent based in French Polynesia.
