France, Vietnam reinforce push toward ‘coalition of independents’

French President Emmanuel Macron and Vietnamese President Tô Lâm signed bilateral agreements Thursday on health, civil security and climate adaptation, part of Macron's push for what he calls a 'coalition of independent nations' spanning Europe and Asia. Macron said he wants stable, loyal partners while avoiding vassalage to any single power, repeating the phrase 'strategic autonomy' four times in a ten-minute speech.

The effort builds on Macron's Indo-Pacific strategy since 2018 and has gained urgency amid the second Trump administration's unsettling of long-standing alliances and trade arrangements. Diplomat Maxime Lefebvre said the goal is a coalition escaping the U.S.-China rivalry while preserving international law and building economic and security ties.

Earlier in the week, Macron hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, pledging roughly $1.15 billion toward cinema, and Lee endorsed cooperation among countries sharing 'democracy, human rights and the rule of law' while stressing South Korea still wants to strengthen its existing alliances.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.