France, May 27 -- Amid rising US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia, French President Emmanuel Macron has pitched France as a stable, rules-driven partner with economic clout and diplomatic balance during his visit to Vietnam.

French President Emmanuel Macron kicked off a high-profile tour of Southeast Asia on Monday with a strong call to uphold a global order "based on law", as tensions mount between the United States and China in the region.

Speaking in Hanoi alongside Vietnamese counterpart Luong Cuong, Macron stressed the importance of a rules-based international framework during what he described as "a time of great imbalance and a resurgence of power-driven rhetoric and intimidation".

His visit comes as Vietnam finds itself navigati...