French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Hanoi on Monday for his first official visit to Vietnam, aiming to strengthen France’s strategic and economic ties with its former colony. The trip, part of a broader Southeast Asia tour including Indonesia and Singapore, comes amid rising trade tensions as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens 50% tariffs on EU goods starting in June.
Macron is expected to witness the signing of up to 30 deals across key sectors including aviation, nuclear energy, railways, renewables, satellites, and defense. Accompanied by top business executives, the French leader is looking to boost France’s presence in a country increasingly caught between Washington and Brussels.
Vietnam, which relies heavily on exports to the U.S., faces pressure to purchase more American goods to avoid 46% duties. Sources familiar with EU-Vietnam discussions warned Hanoi against making trade concessions to Washington that might harm European interests. The EU, a key trade partner with Vietnam through its free trade agreement, has cautioned that favoring U.S. demands could jeopardize this relationship.
Among the anticipated deals is a potential aircraft agreement between VietJet and Airbus, following a provisional order of 20 A330neo jets last year. Talks on satellite contracts involving Airbus are also at an advanced stage. However, European officials fear Vietnam’s consideration of buying 250 Boeing planes to appease Trump may disadvantage Airbus, which currently supplies 86% of Vietnam’s aircraft fleet.
The French presidency has yet to confirm whether Macron will directly address concerns over U.S. influence, as this may hinge on the outcome of the deals. As Vietnam navigates geopolitical pressure, France is positioning itself as a long-term strategic and economic partner in the region.