French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Vietnam on Sunday, marking the first stop of his six-day tour of Southeast Asia. During the trip, which will also include Indonesia and Singapore, Macron aims to position France as a reliable and strategic partner in the region, offering an alternative to the growing influence of both the United States and China.
Macron’s visit to Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, includes high-level meetings with the country’s top leadership on Monday, followed by discussions with key players in the energy sector on Tuesday. One of Macron’s key objectives is to promote France’s expertise in civil nuclear power, which Vietnam and Indonesia are actively exploring as part of their energy strategies. This sector is also being courted by other global players, including Russia.
A presidential aide emphasized that Macron’s approach respects the sovereignty of Asian nations caught in the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China. “We don’t want a jungle where the law of the strongest prevails,” the aide said, underscoring France’s advocacy for fair international trade rules amid increasing protectionism and territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea.
In Indonesia, Macron is scheduled to meet with Kao Kim Hourn, the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on Wednesday to discuss regional cooperation.
Ahead of his tour, Macron held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling for “fair competition” between their countries. In Singapore, he will deliver the opening speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security and defense forum, where he is expected to address the destabilizing effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine on Asia. Macron highlighted concerns about North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine and North Korea’s ongoing ballistic and nuclear programs.
Macron is also addressing perceptions of a Western double standard regarding conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. He stressed France’s commitment to understanding the sensitivities of Muslim communities in the region and working towards peace in the Middle East.
As Macron embarks on this tour, France seeks to deepen its engagement in Indo-Pacific geopolitics, providing countries like Vietnam with a counterbalance to China’s growing influence and reinforcing the importance of multilateral cooperation and peaceful coexistence in the region.
Sources By Agencies
