France, Singapore Sign Defence, AI Partnership During Macron Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron began his two-day state visit to Singapore with a casual evening visit to the popular Lau Pa Sat food centre alongside Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and their wives, where they mingled with crowds and sampled local dishes. This visit marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and France, celebrated with the signing of multiple memoranda of understanding to deepen cooperation in defense, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, civil aviation, and maritime sectors. The agreements include the France-Singapore General Security Agreement to facilitate classified information sharing and mutual protection. Macron's visit also featured a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security and defense forum, where PM Wong highlighted the importance of collaboration among like-minded countries to ensure global stability amid uncertainty. The leaders emphasized their shared strategic outlook and commitment to advancing common interests for regional and global stability, with a state banquet held in Macron’s honor following official ceremonies. Throughout the visit, both leaders displayed a friendly and approachable demeanor, engaging warmly with the public and each other.