The visit of the French president to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore will present Paris as more respectful than the United States or China. Emmanuel Macron, the French President, has commenced a six-day visit to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. During his visit, he will promote France and Europe as the preferred trade and security partners in a region that is currently experiencing tensions between the United States and China.
Macron, who arrived in Vietnam late on Sunday, is attempting to contrast the imposition of tariffs by US President Donald Trump on export-reliant countries in the region and an increasingly militarily assertive China. He is advocating for closer trade and security cooperation..
Macron stated on Monday, “That alone is of great value in the times we are living through, as you have a known, reliable, and trustworthy friend in France.”
There were approximately 14 contracts signed for collaboration in the fields of energy, transportation, defence, and civilian aviation. “The defence partnership” was defined by Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong as the “sharing of information on strategic matters.”
Some of the highest “reciprocal” tariff rates that Trump imposed after China were imposed on Vietnam, Indonesia, and other south-east Asian countries last month. Although those tariffs have been temporarily suspended by the US president, the region’s pursuit of new trade opportunities has the potential to fortify its relationship with the EU.
Unlike the current US administration, a French official stated that Macron would underscore the EU’s continued support for international trade standards. “We do not desire a jungle in which the law of the strongest is the governing principle,” stated the official. Security issues will also be a significant focus, as a result of the escalating tensions with Taiwan and China’s increasingly assertive naval presence in the South China Sea.
Macron has previously concentrated his diplomatic efforts on countries such as China, India, and Japan, where he conducted a state visit in 2023, as part of his strategy to establish France as an Indo-Pacific power.
France maintains numerous overseas territories in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Mayotte and La Réunion, which are inhabited by approximately 1.7 million individuals. In the vast region, the nation maintains numerous military bases and its naval frigates conduct patrols in the South China Sea.
Indonesia is currently in negotiations to establish a free trade agreement with the EU, while Vietnam and Singapore have already signed such agreements.
Hanoi upgraded its diplomatic relations with France to the highest level of “comprehensive strategic partnership” in October, as Vietnam has become a manufacturing powerhouse amid a global production transfer from China.
Vietnam is intensifying its efforts to diversify trade from the United States, which accounts for a third of its exports, and to forge free trade agreements with countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as a result of Trump’s threatened 46% tariff.
Additionally, Vietnam anticipates that its independent foreign policy, which is characterised by its “flexible branches” and “strong roots,” in conjunction with its capacity to maintain equilibrium with superpowers, will facilitate the negotiation of trade agreements. This approach has been dubbed “bamboo diplomacy.”
VietJet airline inked a contract on Monday to acquire 20 new A330neo aeroplanes from Airbus, thereby doubling its previous order. An agreement was also reached between France and Vietnam to collaborate on satellite initiatives.
After Vietnam, Macron will proceed to Indonesia, a country that is abundant in natural resources. President Prabowo Subianto is actively pursuing foreign investments to stimulate the economy, which is currently experiencing a decline. Previously, Indonesia has acquired French defence equipment, such as Rafale fighter aircraft and Scorpène submarines, in an effort to diminish its historical dependence on Russian weapons.
Céline Pajon, the director of Japan and Indo-Pacific research at the French Institute of International Relations think tank, stated that additional contracts may be announced during the voyage. “The defence partnership between France and Indonesia is intended to be enhanced into a long-term and structural entity.”
The Indonesian government stated this month that Macron’s visit was indicative of “the shared determination of both nations to fortify their collaboration in addressing global challenges.”
According to the French official, Macron intends to engage in discussions regarding the diversification of France’s access to materials that are essential for the production of semiconductors and devices while in Indonesia, a significant producer of these minerals.
In Singapore, Macron will deliver a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the largest defence forum in Asia, during his concluding stop of his southeast Asian tour.
The invitation to deliver this speech is the first time a European leader has been extended, and it is a testament to Macron’s successful development of a genuine Indo-Pacific Strategy. “He also advocated for the EU to adopt one,” Pajon commented.
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