The French president urged Europe not to follow either Washington or Beijing on the Taiwan issue. A remark that caused a stir on both sides of the Atlantic.
He claims “strategic autonomy” of the European Union, but his advocacy did not have the desired effect. On his return from his state visit to Beijing and Canton, Emmanuel Macron called on the Twenty-Seven not to “to follow” regarding the tensions between Taiwan and China, in an interview with Politico and the Echoes Released Sunday, April 9. “ATis it in our interest to speed up the subject of Taiwan? No”he said.
“The worst thing would be to think that we should follow suit and adapt to the American pace and a Chinese overreaction.”
Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republicin Politico and “Les Echos”
This statement by the Head of State comes as Beijing conducts encirclement exercises around Taiwan, simulating attacks and a blockade of the island which it considers to be part of its territory. A new show of force, triggered after a meeting in California between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.
“Naïve and dangerous rhetoric”
In this context of intense tensions, Emmanuel Macron’s position was interpreted as distancing himself from Washington by part of the American press. In an editorial published on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal* believes that Emmanuel Macron “weakens deterrence against Chinese aggression and undermines US support for Europe”. THE Financial Times* relays for its part reproaches on the “softness towards Beijing” of the French president, who “put off some allies”.
Republican elected officials have also stepped up. Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House of Representatives China Committee, told FoxNews* that the words of the French president were “embarrassing, outrageous (…) and geopolitically naive”. “We must determine whether Emmanuel Macron speaks on behalf of Europe”added former presidential candidate Marco Rubio on Twitter*.
This is not the case, according to the first European reactions. “To protect our freedom, Democrats must unite to defend a world based on the rule of law. [international], Ukraine and Taiwan. We need to strengthen our alliance with the United States.” said German MEP Manfred Weber, leader of the conservative European People’s Party, on Twitter*, seeming to take the opposite view of Emmanuel Macron.
“Macron (…) divides and weakens Europe with such naive and dangerous rhetoric”abounded the German Conservative MP Norbert Röttgen in the columns of Picture. The French president shows a “geopolitical blindness” and acts “against the strategic interests of the European Union and NATO”adds an elected Lithuanian, quoted by the Financial Times*.
“The alliance with the United States is an absolute foundation of our security which is based on two pillars, economic cooperation and in the field of defence”, also hammered Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki before flying to Washington. Eastern Europeans remain very attached to NATO and American protection, especially since the war in Ukraine.
‘Flawed analysis’
A suspicion shared on the right in France. The boss of LR deputies, Olivier Marleix, sees it as a “signal given to the Chinese” and by extension “a signal given to the Russians” on Ukraine. The deputy for Eure-et-Loir regrets that the Head of State is “went to China to plead for Ukraine’s sovereignty, seek Chinese help or influence on Russia” For “in the end actually [sacrifier] the sovereignty of Taiwan”.
Even in the ranks of the presidential majority, the words of the head of state are skeptical. “It’s incomprehensible”Judge Renaissance MP Anne Genetet, who followed Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to China. “He really wants to be part of this Gaullian tradition, not subservient to the United States, she explains to Point. [Mais] there is a nuance between subservient, vassalized or not aligned.”
“The analysis [du président français] is totally wrong. (…) The United States does not want to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, on the contrary, they want to maintain it. It is China that multiplies military operations that change the status what”deciphers Antoine Bondaz, researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research, interviewed by the Point.
“The timing and the context are catastrophic.”
Antoine Bondaz, sinologistin “The Dot”
Faced with the controversy, the White House tried to reassure on its good agreement with Paris. “There is considerable convergence between us and our European allies on how we are facing the Chinese challenge”reacted a spokesperson for the State Department, quoted by Politico *.
“We are comfortable and we have full confidence in our excellent bilateral relationship with France and in the relationship that the President [Joe Biden] has with President Macron”, abounded John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, during a press briefing. Before kicking into touch and “let the Elysée speak on the remarks” of the French head of state.
“We are clear on our principles”
Monday evening, the entourage of Emmanuel Macron swept away the controversy. An anonymous source at the Elysée assures the Figaro that “on Taiwan, no one can blame us for the ambiguity”. “From defense relations to Indo-Pacific strategy, we are clear on our principles vis-à-vis China as well as human rightsinsists this source. But we will not fuel an accelerated escalation that is counterproductive for all.”
Tuesday morning, the controversy was far from over and the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, was still trying to clarify the French position. “The President of the Republic is perfectly right to demand independence and European sovereignty as he has been doing since 2017”he said on Europe 1. “We are obviously allies of the United States, we share the same values, we share a lot of common economic interests, but it is not because we are allies of the United States that we must be against China. “he defended.
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