for Stéphane Séjourné, France must play the “third way” card

“The French strategy [concernant Taïwan] has always been the same from a military and diplomatic point of view”, says Stéphane Séjourné, secretary general of the Renaissance party, guest on France Inter on Tuesday April 11. While Emmanuel Macron called, in an interview with the newspaper Les Echos, Sunday, to “not to be a follower” on the question of Taiwan and “less dependent on Americans” in terms of defence, Stéphane Séjourné highlights the position of the “third way” supported by the Head of State vis-à-vis China and the United States.

“The president reiterates the fact that Europe, France, has a unique voice in playing de-escalation, that this diplomacy must also be able to be played independently of the two blocs”continues MEP Renew, while reaffirming the fact that Americans are and remain the “allies” from France. Stéphane Séjourné rejects putting Beijing and Washington at “equidistance”. “On one side there is the biggest democracy in the world, our allies, with whom we can sometimes not be aligned, on our economic, diplomatic interests. On the other side, there is an authoritarian regime, the regime Chinese, which is a competing regime with ours, with our democracies and this must be taken into account”specifies the secretary general of the Renaissance party.

Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan

While China has multiplied military maneuvers around Taiwan in recent days, Stéphane Séjourné recalls that “France also has interests in the region, positions with territories and French people who must also be protected”. “There is no desire to let Taiwan be invaded by China, on the contrary, there is the idea of ​​reducing tensions, of having a particular voice in world diplomacy”insists the MEP, ensuring that “a real difference” between China and the United States.