French President Emmanuel Macron called France “a power that respects its partners” during his 25-29 May tour of Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, when he promoted his country as a strategic partner for Southeast Asia (SEA) amid growing US-China rivalry.
The trip focused on trade, defence and clean energy cooperation, as
Singapore’s business environment is set to face multiple challenges in 2025, with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expecting continued pressure from rising costs and declining productivity.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Exchange is undergoing a leadership shake-up as it seeks to revive its struggling equities market. Economic forecasts have been adjusted
Amid heightened US-China tensions, Singapore reaffirmed its neutral stance at the ASEAN summit in October 2024, with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasising economic stability and strategic balance.
Singapore continues to maintain strong trade ties with both superpowers, even as the US and Beijing intensify pressure on regional allies to