France's multi-polar world

FT.com / World / UK - EU support ebbs for ending China arms ban

Britain seems to be coming to its senses about lifting the EU ban on arms sales to China. I've been wondering why Britain was going along with this in the first place. I know that France wants a "multi-polar" world, with America's might checked by real competition. France doesn't want to bulk up militarily itself. So lifting the embargo may be France's way of empowering China to create a better "balance." I figured that Britain at least would realize the folly and danger of such a scheme. The Cold War was certainly multi-polar. The hundreds of years European countries tore each other apart were certainly multi-polar. Is that really what France wants?