Macron To Make First Visit To Malaysia Since 2017, Elevate Bilateral Ties To Strategic Partnership
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (NNN) -- French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake an official visit to Malaysia on Nov 16 and 17, marking his first trip to the country.
The Malaysia visit will follow Macron’s state visit to Cambodia from Nov 14 to 16, where he is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in economic affairs, culture and healthcare.
The visit is expected to usher in a new chapter in Malaysia-France relations, with both countries set to elevate their longstanding ties to a strategic partnership covering defence and security, critical minerals, the energy transition, aeronautics and space, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and semiconductors.
According to the French Presidency, the two countries will develop their cooperation based on common priorities, while strengthening collaboration on major regional and international issues, as well as relations between Europe and ASEAN.
France described Malaysia as a key partner of France and the European Union (EU) within ASEAN, highlighting Malaysia’s chairmanship of the regional bloc in 2025 and the two countries’ shared commitment to multilateralism and compliance with international law.
“France and Malaysia are both committed to multilateralism and compliance with international law, and are working to support peace and stability in Southeast Asia and in the Indo-Pacific,” the Presidency said, noting France’s distinctive role in the region through its overseas territories.
The French Presidency provided the information in a background briefing ahead of the visit, which the French Embassy in Malaysia shared with Bernama on Friday.
The visit builds on the momentum generated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to France in July 2025, the first by a Malaysian head of government in 15 years.
The French Presidency described Macron’s upcoming visit as "a new step" in bilateral relations.
On economic relations, the Presidency said France was Malaysia’s 10th-largest economic partner and ranked third among the EU’s member states, with bilateral trade reaching €4.7 billion (approximately RM21.23 billion) in 2025, an increase of 11 per cent from 2024.
“There is a significant French economic presence, with around 300 subsidiaries of French companies and 300 French-owned businesses under local law, employing some 30,000 people,” it said, adding that France was Malaysia’s 12th-largest investor and second-largest European investor in 2025.
On critical minerals, the Presidency said cooperation between the two countries was taking a step forward, driven by a shared ambition to diversify and secure strategic supplies by strengthening their respective ecosystems across the entire value chain.
It cited the industrial partnership between French company Carester and Malaysian firm Malaco Mining, signed in 2025 during Anwar’s visit to Paris.
The partnership aims to develop local rare earth element mining and separation capabilities while meeting the highest environmental and social standards.
In the energy and technology sectors, France said cooperation included the energy transition, civil nuclear energy, sustainable aviation fuel and carbon capture projects, while highlighting the complementary strengths of both countries in semiconductors.
“Complementarity between Malaysian capacities in the manufacture and packaging of semiconductors and French expertise in research, design and specialised technologies opens up cooperation possibilities that will help diversify and strengthen the resilience of global supply chains in this key sector,” it said.
The last visit by a French President to Malaysia was in March 2017, when then-President Francois Hollande undertook a two-day state visit to the country.
The visit marked an important milestone in Malaysia-France bilateral relations, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries
Meanwhile, Macron’s Nov 14-16 visit to Cambodia will focus on renewing and deepening bilateral relations, particularly in economic affairs, culture and healthcare.
He will also attend the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh on Nov 15 and 16, bringing together representatives of 90 states and governments under the theme "Reinvest in Peace for Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Stability".
The Cambodian visit will also focus on strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, energy, healthcare, transport, agriculture and heritage preservation, while reaffirming the longstanding relationship between the two countries, which dates back to the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.
--NNN
