The agreement brings VietJet’s total commitment to 40 A330neo aircraft. Airbus, already a dominant player in Vietnam’s aviation sector with its jets comprising 86% of the country’s commercial fleet, is seeking to protect its market share as Vietnam simultaneously courts Boeing to ease trade tensions with Washington.
EU Urges Caution as Vietnam Balances US Demands
European officials have expressed concern that Vietnam’s efforts to appease the US, including a potential order of over 250 Boeing planes by VietJet and national carrier Vietnam Airlines, could come at Europe’s expense. Ahead of Macron’s visit, EU diplomats in Hanoi warned Vietnam not to make concessions to the US that could undermine its relationship with the EU, which has a free trade agreement with Vietnam and serves as a major market for Vietnamese exports.
“It’s important Vietnam does not make decisions that hurt European interests,” one EU official told Reuters.
It remains unclear whether Macron will publicly raise these concerns during his meetings with Vietnamese leadership, as the tone of his messaging could depend on the success and scope of the deals concluded during the visit.
France Positions Itself as a Reliable, Rules-Based Partner
Macron, who will later attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia’s top defence summit, has positioned France and the EU as champions of rules-based international cooperation, in contrast to what he described as “coercive or predatory” approaches from other global powers, notably the US and China.