The Latest on Southeast Asia: Macron’s visit to Southeast Asia

Last week, French president Emmanuel Macron made his first working visit to Southeast Asia in almost three years, stopping in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. The overarching theme of the three visits was improving bilateral defense cooperation in Southeast Asia, as well as promoting the reliability of the European Union as a partner against the backdrop of the current U.S.-China rivalry. Macron’s visit comes just two months after Xi Jinping’s visit to the region, where he attempted to court Southeast Asia following the “reciprocal tariffs” made by President Donald Trump.  

Macron’s first stop was in Hanoi on May 26, his first ever official visit to Vietnam. The two countries signed a total of 14 deals, collectively worth $10 billion. The most impressive were in the defense sector, which included VietJet's purchase of 20 Airbus A330neo aircrafts as well as Airbus Defence’s agreement to cooperate with Vietnam on earth-observation satellites. Macron also publicly reinforced France’s commitment to its defense relationship with Vietnam, citing the deployment of a French carrier strike group in the South China Sea in early 2025 aligning with Vietnam’s maritime interests.  

Macron next traveled to Jakarta on May 28, where he oversaw the signing of more than a dozen agreements. These included a letter of intent for Indonesia to purchase strategic weapons systems from France. In a press conference, Macron claimed the letter of intent could open opportunities for new orders for Dassault Rafales, Scorpène-class submarines, and light frigates. Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia’s bilateral defense relationship with France, noting that France plays a critical role in the modernization of defense equipment.  

Macron ended his Southeast Asia tour in Singapore, his first state visit to the nation. On May 30, Macron and Singaporean prime minister Lawrence Wong elevated France and Singapore’s relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level in Singapore’s diplomatic repertoire. The two leaders also oversaw the signing of over a dozen agreements across multiple sectors, including defense and security, civil nuclear energy, and AI. Singapore also reaffirmed its defense ties with France, vowing to enhance bilateral military exchanges. over a dozen agreements across multiple sectors, including defense and security, civil nuclear energy, and AI. Singapore also reaffirmed its defense ties with France, vowing to enhance bilateral military exchanges. 

Macron closed his trip on May 30 with the opening keynote speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. In his keynote, Macron urged the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to enhance cooperation to advance their interests amid U.S.-China competition. While assuring that France is still an ally of the United States, Macron emphasized that seeking cooperation with ASEAN best protects France’s strategic interests as well as those of Europe and the Indo-Pacific.  

Lauren Mai is a Program Coordinator and Research Assistant for the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. 

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