Why did Georges Clemenceau criticize French colonial expansion in Indochina?

Georges Clemenceau opposed French colonial expansion in Indochina because he believed such efforts were dispersing the limited resources of a weakened France. He was a vocal critic of the colonial policy, arguing that it distracted from national priorities and drained the country's strength.1

His opposition was politically potent; he frequently attacked the promoters of these colonial ventures. In 1885, he leveraged a minor military reverse in Tongking (Indochina) to successfully orchestrate the fall of Jules Ferry’s cabinet.1