FRANCE, VIETNAM SIGN AIRBUS, SATELLITE DEALS – French PM Macron visits Hanoi
France’s President Emmanuel Macron made his first formal visit to Vietnam, the first by a French president in nearly a decade, seeking to boost France’s influence in its former colony, grappling with threats of crippling U.S. tariffs.
The two nations signed deals for 20 Airbus planes, cooperation on nuclear energy, railways, Airbus earth-observation satellites, and Sanofi vaccines, a list of documents seen by Reuters showed, confirming an earlier report.
Export-dependent Vietnam, under pressure from Washington to buy more American goods, has made pledges in trade talks to avert 46% tariffs that could impair its growth, fanning European concerns about deals at the region’s expense.
In statements to the press with no questions allowed, Macron reiterated France’s support of freedom of navigation, an issue dear to Vietnam as it often clashes with Beijing over contested boundaries in the South China Sea.
Macron added that the partnership with Vietnam “entails a reinforced defence cooperation,” citing the signing of multiple projects on defence and space.
