Macron arrives in Vietnam for Southeast Asia tour

HANOI: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Vietnam on Sunday for the first leg of a tour of Southeast Asia, where he will pitch his country as a reliable alternative partner to the United States and China.

During his six-day trip -- which includes stops in Indonesia and Singapore -- Macron will underscore his respect for the sovereignty of Asian countries “caught between the United States and China”, a presidential aide said during a pre-tour briefing.

The French president is due to meet Vietnam´s top leadership on Monday in the capital Hanoi and key energy sector players on Tuesday. Macron is hoping to showcase France´s expertise in civil nuclear power in Vietnam and Indonesia, which are keen to embrace this form of energy, although other countries including Russia are also in the running for deals.

“The major challenges of the century... can only be met in cooperation with our partners,” Macron wrote on social media after landing in Hanoi. “I´ve come here to strengthen our ties in key areas: defence, innovation, energy transition and cultural exchanges. Everywhere I go, I´ll be saying one simple thing: France is a power of peace and balance,” he said. “It is a reliable partner that believes in dialogue and cooperation. When some choose to withdraw, France chooses to build bridges.”