France, Vietnam sign deals worth $10 billion as Macron visits Hanoi

France and Vietnam signed deals on Monday on Airbus planes, defense and other pacts, worth over $10 billion as President Emmanuel Macron visited Hanoi seeking to boost France's influence in its former colony amid risks of high US tariffs, Report informs via Reuters.

Macron's first formal visit to Vietnam, the first by a French president in nearly a decade, follows US President Donald Trump's threats on Friday to impose 50% duties on European Union goods from June 1, fueling tensions with the 27-country bloc, though he later delayed that deadline to July 9.

Export-dependent Vietnam, under pressure from Washington to buy more American goods, has made pledges in trade talks to try to avert 46% tariffs that could impair its growth, fanning European concerns about deals at the region's expense.

Macron said France signed 9 billion euros ($10.25 billion) worth of contracts in Vietnam during his visit.

Deals covered the purchase of 20 Airbus planes, cooperation on nuclear energy, defense, rail and maritime transport, Airbus earth-observation satellites and Sanofi vaccines, a list of documents seen by Reuters showed, confirming an earlier report.

In total 14 deals were signed, which would be short of the dozens that the French presidential palace had said were in preparation before the visit, but more agreements were expected to be announced on Tuesday, an official said.

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 the partnership with Vietnam "entails a reinforced defense cooperation", citing the signing of multiple projects on defense and space.