Macron accuses Morrison of provoking 'confrontation' with China over submarines

French President Emmanuel Macron appears far from burying the hatchet with Australia's most recent former prime minister, even as he poses for selfies with the current one.

Just a day after meeting with Anthony Albanese in Bali, Macron on Thursday accused Scott Morrison of entering into "confrontation" with China by opting for anglo-built nuclear-powered submarines instead of conventional French ones.

Macron echoed his previous comments about the AUKUS defence treaty by saying the French approach had offered "freedom and sovereignty" with vessels that could be maintained in Australia, but then went further.

READ MORE: MH17 judgment day: Dutch court convicts two Russians and one Ukrainian over downed flight 

He said the French submarine program was not in "confrontation" with China because the vessels were not nuclear-powered.

"The choice that was made by Prime Minister Morrison was the exact opposite; to enter into the confrontation by going nuclear and to put oneself in complete dependence by deciding to acquire submarines that the Australians were unable to produce and maintain," he said, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' meeting in Thailand.

"The dilemma is well known and the industrial difficulties were posed as soon as this choice was made."

Macron was referring to widely reported concerns neither the US nor the UK would have capacity to build submarines for Australia until at least the middle of next decade, if not much later.

READ MORE: Emmanuel Macron accuses Scott Morrison of provoking 'confrontation' with China over AUKUS submarine deal 

That could leave the Australian Navy short as the ageing Collins-class submarine fleet begins to retire.

Macron said an offer to build together or sell French submarines to Australia was still on the table. He said he'd broached the issue with Albanese when they met in Bali but the Australian prime minister had not changed his strategy, according to Bloomberg.

The AUKUS agreement involved Australia ditching a $90 billion submarine contract with a French company in favour of eventually buying nuclear-powered subs from either the United Kingdom or United States.

READ MORE: NT killer cop inquest hears tribal law often misunderstood as revenge 

France was only informed about the deal at the last minute, sparking outrage from Macron, who said he'd received assurances the deal was still on track.

Asked by journalists a year ago whether he thought Morrison lied to him about the deal, Macron said: "I don't think, I know".

The fracas sparked a major diplomatic meltdown between France and Australia and put negotiations over a multibillion-dollar free trade agreement with the European Union in the deep freeze.

Morrison always defended his actions as being in the best interests of Australia's security and said Macron knew there were problems with the submarine deal.

In the months after Labor swept to victory at the last election, Albanese announced an $830 million settlement deal with French sub builder Naval Group and met with Macron in Paris, declaring a "new chapter" in Franco-Australian relations. 

They met most recently in Bali on Thursday, where they shook hands, talked trade and even posed for a selfie.

Touching down in Thailand hours after Macron's comments, Albanese refused to answer questions about the issue, speaking only about the release of Australian academic Sean Turnell from a Myanmar prison.