- Macron promotes France and the EU as trusted partners amid China-US tensions in the region.
- He pushes for defense deals and long-term cooperation with Indonesia.
- Macron focuses on securing critical materials to support the EU’s tech industry growth.
French President Emmanuel Macron has embarked on a six-day trip to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore, during which he will promote France and Europe as preferred trade and security allies for a region affected by tensions between China and the US.
Macron's call for enhanced trade and security collaboration, having landed in Vietnam late Sunday, aims to stand in contrast to a more militarily assertive China and the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on countries in the region that rely on exports.
“France, along with the European Union, represents a partner that is both reliable, committed to issues of sovereignty, and respectful of their independence,” an official in the Elysée palace said ahead of the trip.
Last month, Trump targeted Vietnam, Indonesia, and various other South Asian nations with some of his highest “reciprocal” tariff rates following China. Although the US president has put those tariffs on hold for now, the region's quest for new trade openings may enhance connections with the EU.
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Security concerns will prominently feature on the agenda, considering China's growing assertiveness in naval operations in the South China Sea and strains with Taiwan. In the past, Macron has concentrated diplomatic efforts on nations such as China - where he took a state visit in 2023 - India, and Japan, aiming to establish France as a power in the Indo-Pacific region.
Following his visit to Vietnam, Macron will travel to resource-rich Indonesia, where President Prabowo Subianto is pursuing foreign investments to stimulate a sluggish economy. Indonesia has formerly purchased French military gear, such as Rafale fighter aircraft and Scorpene submarines, as it aims to lessen its longstanding dependence on Russian arms.
“There may be other contracts announced during the trip,” said Céline Pajon, who heads Japan and Indo-Pacific research at the Center for Asian Studies, French Institute of International Relations think-tank. “France and Indonesia intend to raise the defence partnership into something long-term and structural.” The Indonesian government said in a statement this month that Macron’s visit reflected “the commitment of both countries to enhance co-operation in facing global challenges”.
Macron intends to talk about the diversification of France's access to essential materials for manufacturing smartphones and semiconductors during his visit to Indonesia, a key producer of these minerals, according to the French official.
“It is the first time a European leader has been invited to give this speech, and it is in recognition of how Macron has developed a real Indo-Pacific strategy. He also encouraged the EU to adopt one as well,” Pajon said.