Macron’s Taiwan comments put question mark over EU’s global role

Paris: Comments by French President Emmanuel Macron over Europe’s priorities on Taiwan have raised questions over the EU’s relationship with both the US and China, on the eve of his planned speech on the bloc’s sovereignty in The Netherlands.

Macron’s remarks were published on Sunday in an interview with French newspaper Les Echos and Politico Europe.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron during the French president’s recent visit to Beijing.Credit: AP

“The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No,” Macron was quoted as saying in the interview. “The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction.”

The comments were made on Friday, before China launched large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in response to the Taiwanese president’s trip to the US last week.

Macron spoke to reporters on his way back from a three-day state visit to China, where he spoke at length with President Xi Jinping, including about Taiwan, according to Macron’s office.

The remarks have drawn wide attention on social media, and experts raised questions about whether Macron’s views are in line with the European Union’s position and whether the bloc of 27 is able to become the “third superpower” that Macron says he hopes to build within “a few years”.

Asked about Macron’s comments on Monday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby insisted that the US and France have a “terrific bilateral cooperation” and closely co-ordinate on security issues in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

“We’re focused on ... making sure that together we’re meeting the national security requirements of both countries,” Kirby said.

The Washington Post reported that French politicians are planning to visit Taipei.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu reportedly said France’s Senate and National Assembly have shown their backing for Taiwan and some lawmakers would visit “very soon”.

Macron on Tuesday is to start a two-day state visit in The Netherlands, where he is scheduled to make a speech on Europe’s sovereignty, with a focus on the economy and industry, according to his office.

“We, Europeans, must wake up. Our priority is not others’ agendas in all regions of the world,” Macron said in the interview.

He emphasised the concept of “strategic autonomy” for Europe which he has promoted for years. He warned of what he called the “trap” that would lead to the bloc “getting caught up in crises that are not ours”.

“We don’t want to depend on others for critical topics,” he insisted.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says France is doing too much to help Ukraine for it to broker peace with Russia.Credit: AP

Politico said Macron’s office asked to check the president’s quotes before they were published, a common practice in France, leading to some parts of the interview in which he “spoke even more frankly about Taiwan and Europe’s strategic autonomy” getting cut out.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested on Monday that France could not broker peace in Ukraine as Paris is “both indirectly and directly involved in this conflict on the side of Ukraine. Therefore, it is still difficult to imagine any mediation efforts here.”

During his visit to China, Macron called on Chinese leader Xi Jinping to “bring Russia back to its senses” over Ukraine.

The Kremlin also said on Monday that China had every right to respond to what it called repeated “provocations” against it and carry out military exercises around Taiwan.

An evening news broadcast shows Chinese fighter jets on an aircraft carrier around Taiwan on an outdoor screen in Beijing.Credit: AP

Beijing on Monday carried out the last of three days of drills around Taiwan, including practicing aerial and naval blockade manoeuvres of the island, which China views as part of its own territory, something Taiwan’s government strongly disputes.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said everyone should respect China and its actions which were in line with international law.

“In a very short period of time, you and I have witnessed repeated actions that have been provocative toward the People’s Republic of China,” said Peskov.

“And, of course, China has the sovereign right to respond to these provocative actions, including conducting military manoeuvres in strict compliance with international law.”

AP, Reuters

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