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France and Vietnam signed key agreements on Monday, including a deal for 20 Airbus planes, as President Emmanuel Macron visited Hanoi to deepen ties and expand France’s influence in the region.

The visit, Macron’s first to Vietnam and the first by a French president in nearly a decade, comes amid rising US-EU trade tensions after US President Donald Trump threatened 50 percent tariffs on EU goods. Vietnam also faces possible US tariffs of up to 46 percent, pressuring it to boost American imports, Firstpost reported.

The agreements covered aviation, nuclear energy, trains, satellites, and vaccines, with Airbus and Sanofi playing key roles. Both countries also promised to strengthen defense cooperation, including cybersecurity, intelligence sharing, and anti-terrorism operations.

Macron restated France's support for unrestricted navigation in the South China Sea, where Vietnam has conflicts with China, according to the Firstpost.

The visit is part of Macron’s Southeast Asia tour, which also includes Indonesia and Singapore.

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a ten-member regional bloc, will gather on Monday to advocate for peace in Myanmar and address trade concerns related to US President Donald Trump's tariff policy, Reuters reported.

Myanmar has been in crisis since a military coup in 2021 triggered armed resistance. ASEAN, led this year by Malaysia, is attempting to reopen talks between the military regime and opposition organizations. A proposal for a permanent ASEAN envoy to Myanmar is under discussion.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing remains excluded from ASEAN summits. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent talks with both the junta and opposition have renewed hopes for negotiations, according to Reuters.

ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus peace plan remains largely unimplemented amid ongoing conflict and political deadlock.

The US Treasury Department issued General License 25 on Friday, lifting sanctions against Syria and allowing new investment and private sector activity. The move follows President Donald Trump’s pledge during his recent Middle East trip, Reuters reported.

The license allows for financial services and transactions involving Syrian-origin petroleum, as well as the restoration of banking relations with the Commercial Bank of Syria. Sanctions release is contingent on Syria denying safe shelter to terrorist groups and preserving religious and ethnic minorities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also authorized a 180-day Caesar Act waiver to encourage investment and essential services like electricity and water, according to Reuters.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Jakarta on Saturday for an official visit to Indonesia at President Prabowo Subianto's invitation.

Following his visit to Indonesia, Premier Li is scheduled to travel to Malaysia, where he will attend the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to 28, Xinhua reported.