Macron in Southeast Asia: A Strategic Balancing Act Amid Global Tensions

Emmanuel Macron began a week-long diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia on Sunday, May 25, with stops scheduled in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. The visit aims to reinforce France’s strategic footprint in this increasingly contested region, caught in the crossfire of U.S.-China rivalry. Macron’s goal: to position France as a “balancing power” and to deepen cooperation in key sectors such as defense, energy, research, and trade.

First Stop: Vietnam — Memory, Strategy, and Partnerships

Arriving in Hanoi on Sunday evening with his wife Brigitte Macron, the French president kicked off his tour with official meetings on Monday, May 26. He was received by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, the country’s most powerful political figure. Earlier that morning, Macron paid tribute to the memory of soldiers who fought in the First Indochina War, a gesture acknowledging the complex colonial history between the two nations.

Yet the visit is clearly future-focused. France aims to strengthen strategic ties with Vietnam, particularly in energy — including renewables and nuclear — transportation, and defense. Leading French companies such as EDF, Dassault Aviation, Naval Group, Eramet, and CMA CGM are part of the delegation, with numerous industrial contracts and bilateral agreements in the pipeline.

Embracing the Indo-Pacific Vision

This tour is part of France’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy, first outlined in 2018. Amid rising global tensions — from the war in Ukraine to Middle East conflicts and escalating U.S.-China trade disputes — France seeks to act as a reliable, sovereign-respecting partner in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam, which maintains a careful balance between Beijing and Washington, is particularly aligned with this vision. Known as the “bamboo diplomacy,” Hanoi’s foreign policy emphasizes flexibility and strategic autonomy — an approach well suited to enhanced cooperation with Paris.

Science, Trade, and Francophonie: A Multi-Faceted Agenda

Beyond defense and energy, Macron is also championing scientific and academic collaboration. France aims to foster research and higher education partnerships across the region, especially with Indonesia — a country with significant demographic weight but limited student mobility.

Trade ties are another pillar of the visit. With its 700 million inhabitants and dynamic economic growth, Southeast Asia represents a vital market for French businesses. In Vietnam, Paris is actively supporting a $67 billion high-speed rail project linking Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City — potentially the country’s largest infrastructure undertaking in years.

The tour will conclude on Friday in Singapore, where President Macron is scheduled to deliver the opening address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s leading forum on security and defense.