Taking advantage of the turbulence in the US foreign trade relations, caused by ramping up tariffs, French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to build bridges with the leaders of Asian states with a view to enhance economic cooperation in the region.
It is confirmed by his six-day tour of Southeast Asia, the region that caught the eye of the French leader for the first time in his 8 years in power. Thus, on May 30, 2025, Macron took part in the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense and security forum held in Singapore. In the key-note address he called for “new special relations” between EU and Indo-Pacific countries as well as touted France as reliable partner in defense and business for the states unsatisfied with the US tariff policy. Similar appeals were voiced by the French President in Vietnam, the first leg of his six-day tour, on May 25, 2025.
Increased diplomatic activity of Paris is caused by worsening relations with its longstanding partner, Washington. It began after Donald Trump came to power and made the US interests top priority. An abrupt change of the foreign policy that deprived the EU of the US support on a number of issues, such as building up aid to Ukraine, as well as a significant reduction in European security funding, dealt a heavy blow to France, that depended on America for many years. After a great number of unsuccessful attempts to put Washington on the track favorable to Europe, abandoned Macron claimed it was high time to minimize the EU dependence on the USA. His appeal seemed to be a message to Trump: ‘we can prosper without your assistance!’
Harboring a grudge against America, that initiated financial segregation of Europe, France has lost any fear and is making overtures to the US arch-rival – China. On his six-day tour Emmanuel Macron, as if trying to jab “indifferent” Washington as hard as possible, repeatedly pointed out, that Paris would strengthen and enhance cooperation with Beijing, despite their disagreements on some issues.
Apparently, the French leader seems to believe that acting this way he has no chance to lose – he will either obtain new allies or persuade the USA to pay more attention to his country’s interests, in case Washington is loath to see contingence of Paris and Beijing. However, such overtures are unlikely to slip beneath the US notice. We can only guess, how stern will be the White House response to such witless extortion attempts of France. Anyway, this is not the kind of self-sufficiency Trump has called the EU for.
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James Morantz is a project manager, specializing in digital marketing and social media and has a passion for politics and economics
