Strengthening France–Malaysia Economic Collaboration Through High-Impact Engagements

MIDA Paris continues to reinforce France–Malaysia economic relations in 2025, leveraging the momentum generated by the Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Paris. Through strategic engagements, targeted industry dialogues, and facilitation efforts, the office has positioned Malaysia as a competitive and sustainable investment destination for French investment into the Asia-Pacific region.

The Prime Minister’s landmark visit to Paris marked a significant step forward in bilateral economic cooperation. Accompanied by ministers overseeing foreign affairs, transport, agriculture, investment, and defence, the delegation underscored Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening ties across a broad spectrum of high-value sectors.

Discussions reaffirmed France’s role as a strategic entry point for Malaysian companies exploring European expansion, while Malaysia was recognised as a competitive and innovation-driven hub for French businesses targeting Southeast Asia. Areas identified for expanded collaboration include:

• Aerospace
• Energy 
• Digital Infrastructure
• Advanced Manufacturing

This renewed commitment lays the foundation for deeper technological cooperation, sustainable industry development, and mutually beneficial investment flows.

Energy transition emerged as a central theme during the bilateral talks, with French industry demonstrating strong interest in Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and its long-term pathway toward low-carbon growth. French companies also expressed exploratory interest in civil nuclear energy applications for Southeast Asia, complementing ongoing collaboration in renewable energy and green technologies.

Beyond energy, the visit reinforced longstanding industrial linkages:

• Aerospace: The Malaysia Airlines–Airbus partnership was reaffirmed, highlighting continued collaboration in aviation development.

• Critical Minerals: French rare earth process-engineering and refining specialist Carester, a key player in Europe’s supply chain which recently inaugurated its plant in Lacq, showcased new opportunities for cooperation in critical minerals processing and supply chain resilience.

• Urban Solutions & Defence: ENGIE and Thales strengthened joint initiatives in sustainable cooling systems, low-carbon infrastructure, and high-value defence assembly operations.

These developments position Malaysia as a strategic production base for advanced technology sectors, supported by strong investor confidence in the country’s long-term industrial direction.

In a powerful display of private sector engagement, a closed-door industry roundtable became a cornerstone of the Prime Minister’s visit, bringing together a formidable gathering of over 190 business leaders from Malaysia and France at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand. The high-level forum covered a dynamic and forward-looking agenda, reflecting the modern priorities of global economic partnership. Key discussion points included:

• Carbon tax frameworks and sustainable urban development.
• The potential for fintech collaboration and new joint ventures.

French corporate leaders took the stage to share their strategic visions:

• Air Liquide and L’Oréal presented insights on their ambitious sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives.
• Club Med announced concrete plans for tourism expansion, including new resort developments in the state of Sabah, Malaysia.

Malaysian companies also explored collaboration opportunities, emphasising commercial partnerships, technology sharing, and innovation-driven ventures. The roundtable demonstrated the crucial role of private sector engagement in delivering tangible outcomes from government-level commitments.

In his address at Sorbonne University, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim outlined Malaysia’s aspiration to become a dynamic, knowledge-driven economy, emphasising the importance of digital transformation and AI education. The call for deeper research linkages, academic exchange, and innovation partnerships highlighted the role of knowledge collaboration as the backbone of long-term economic cooperation.

These academic engagements complemented the high-tech agreements signed during the visit—particularly in defence, aerospace, and green energy—signalling a partnership built on shared expertise and future-oriented growth.

The Prime Minister’s visit concluded with a working dinner at the Élysée Palace, where he invited President Emmanuel Macron for a reciprocal visit to Malaysia. The momentum continued with a business mission to Malaysia led by MEDEF International in September 2025, reflecting strong interest in exploring new investment opportunities.

Today, more than 660 French companies operate in Malaysia, collectively creating over 30,000 high-value jobs and contributing significantly to the nation’s industrial ecosystem. Their continued expansion underscores robust investor confidence in Malaysia’s green, digital, and high-tech transformation.

Meanwhile, increased outreach in New Zealand has strengthened interest in food technology, healthcare, and green innovation. Industry discussions have revealed strong potential for collaborations in manufacturing, R&D, and regional distribution—building on Malaysia’s established industrial ecosystem and ASEAN connectivity.

As Malaysia’s key investment promotion arm in Europe, MIDA Paris plays an instrumental role in advancing France–Malaysia industrial collaboration. Through strategic facilitation, investor engagement, and targeted support for high-growth sectors—including energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies—the office ensures that French businesses have direct access to Malaysia’s competitive advantages and national investment priorities.

With heightened bilateral momentum and expanding opportunities across green technology, aerospace, digital infrastructure, and critical minerals, MIDA Paris remains committed to enabling sustainable, innovation-driven investments that contribute to Malaysia’s long-term economic transformation.