KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 31): French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit Malaysia on Nov 16-17, said Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin.
He said the relationship between Malaysia and France has reached another level following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to France last year, noting that Anwar has established a very good relationship with Macron.
“Datuk Seri Anwar visited France last year and subsequently invited President Macron to visit Malaysia. Macron accepted the invitation within a very short time, and the visit will take place on Nov 16 and 17, reflecting the growing closeness and strengthening bilateral relationship between the two countries,” he told the media at the Malaysian French Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (CCIFM) Malaysia-France Gala Night 2026 here on Friday.
He said Malaysia looks forward to Macron’s visit, which will provide an opportunity to further strengthen ties between Malaysian and French companies.
According to him, the bilateral relationship can continue to grow for many more years.
“Malaysia has a very long history with France. In the 1700s, the Sultan of Terengganu invited French traders and seafarers to come to Malaysia to trade.
“Today, we have about 600 French companies operating in Malaysia, including household names such as L’Oréal, Decathlon, Michelin, TotalEnergies and BNP Paribas,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his keynote address during the event, Sim said Malaysia is at advanced stage of negotiations on the Malaysia-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (MEUFTA).
“We just concluded one of the negotiations in Brussels, in September.
“I think the discussion is continuing. Recently I received a delegation from Members of Parliament from the European Parliament and we had a further discussion. These are very exciting times for Malaysia and the EU, especially France. I think this is on the right track, in the right direction,” he said.
On Oct 13, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said Malaysia aims to sign MEUFTA by the end of June 2027, with nearly 80 per cent of negotiations having been completed.
Meanwhile, ambassador of France to Malaysia, Marc Abensour, said Macron's upcoming visit to Kuala Lumpur on Nov 16 and 17 marks an important opportunity to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
“This first French presidential visit in nearly a decade will allow us to take our relationship to the next level and to elevate our bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership, aligning Malaysia with our key regional commitments alongside Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam.
“At the core of this relationship is the partnership for sovereignty. In an era where trade, energy, and technology are increasingly weaponised, economic security is paramount. We must secure critical value chains to strengthen our mutual resilience,” he said.
Abensour said both countries are also deepening their longstanding cooperation in defence, aerospace, energy transition, critical minerals and digital infrastructure, including undersea cables, data centres and semiconductors.
“Our economic ties have never been stronger. France is now the second largest European investor in Malaysia, with our investment value growing by 190% over the last decade,” he said.
As it marked its 35th anniversary, CCIFM remains committed to helping French companies establish and expand their operations in the country while leveraging Malaysia as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia.
Established in 1991, CCIFM has evolved into a key business platform connecting French and Malaysian companies, supporting market entry, facilitating investment and strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
Today, more than 600 French companies operate in Malaysia, supporting over 30,000 jobs and contributing to the country's industrial, technological and economic development.
From aerospace, energy and advanced manufacturing to digital technologies, healthcare and professional services, French companies continue to play an important role in Malaysia's economic transformation.
Malaysia-France bilateral trade reached RM22.5 billion in 2025.
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