Emmanuel Macron calls on the European Union not to “be a follower” of the United States and China

Can Europe make a different voice heard on the Taiwan issue? refusing to “entering into block-to-block logic”this is in any case the wish expressed by Emmanuel Macron, who urges the European Union not to “be a follower” of the United States or China on this file, in a daily interview The echoes, posted Sunday April 9. “The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should be followers” on the issue of Taiwan “and adapt to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction”declares the French head of state, in this interview granted on Friday, during his trip to China.

Asked even before the start of major Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan on Saturday, the French president calls on Europe to “wake”. “Our priority is not to adapt to the agenda of others in all regions of the world”, he continues. And to emphasize: “Why should we go at the pace chosen by others? At some point, we have to ask ourselves the question of our interest”.

The head of state discussed the issue of the island on Friday with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. “The conversation was dense and frank” between Emmanuel Macron and the Chinese head of state, said the Elysée, reporting the vigilance of the French president around “the accumulation of tensions in the region” who could lead “to accident”.