MAKING FRANCE MORE APPEALING
Mr Becht was speaking on the sidelines of a visit to Thailand to deepen long-standing bilateral ties, following French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic push in Southeast Asia last November.
Thailand is an important economic partner of France, and is the country’s eighth-largest partner in Asia.
The European Union and Thailand are set to resume free trade talks by March, nearly a decade after they were stalled by the military coup in Thailand in 2014.
Mr Becht believes it is the right time to do so, especially after facing crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
“We have to boost all sectors, especially in energy, agri-food,” he added. “And I think if we want to have answers to all the challenges we face today, we should (remove) some obstacles, barriers to free trade.
“So to have a free trade agreement between the European Union and Thailand will be a very good idea and I’m very happy if we could restart negotiations now.”
Mr Becht’s delegation, which has met several Thai ministers and investors, hopes to strengthen economic cooperation with Thailand, particularly in the areas of transportation, renewable energy and digital technology, which offer important business opportunities for French firms.
The objective is to “make France more attractive for Thai companies”, he said. “And I will do the same for other ASEAN countries.”
Mr Becht, who was in Cambodia earlier this week, said: “I think there is a momentum between the European Union, especially France, and the ASEAN countries that will be good for growth, that will be good to create jobs for people and answer the challenges we face today (such as climate change and food security).”
His work trip in Southeast Asia reflects France’s increased involvement in the region, which is vital to the country’s overall Indo-Pacific strategy.
On its presence in the Indo-Pacific, Mr Becht said: “I think that trade, and free trade, is a good opportunity to have stability and to maintain peace.
“And we want to work together with ASEAN countries to have this peace and to have stability in the region.”
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