President Emmaneul Macron of France has faced significant criticism for his comments in an interview during his recent visit to China. Macron, whose remarks largely focused on forging an independent path for Europe between the US and China, faced criticism at home and abroad for seemingly distancing himself from America and appeasing China. Mint breaks down his remarks:
- Macron’s comments were made during an interview with Western journalists as the French President was winding his way across China on an official visit. Macron, who was accompanied by a large business delegation, met with President Xi Jinping.
- In the interview, Macron argued that Europe must pursue “strategic autonomy”, which refers to building up the continent’s economic and military capabilities in a way that would allow it to forge its own path in global affairs if necessary. For Macron, Europe has a worrying dependency on the United States for its security needs. This has become all too clear during the Ukraine war, in which it has led the way in providing military equipment and humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
- However, the controversy largely centres around Macron’s comments regarding Europe’s position on US-China competition. “We Europeans must wake up. Our priority is not to adapt to the agenda of others in all regions of the world,” Macron was quoted as saying in the interview.
- He also called upon Europe to avoid becoming “followers” of the United States. “Is it in our interest to accelerate on the subject of Taiwan? No. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and adapt to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction,” he said in the interview.
- In an apparent reference to Taiwan, Macron warned against Europe being “caught up in crises that are not ours”. If European nations did not build their own capabilities, they would risk becoming “vassals”.
- Macron’s comments sparked an instant controversy. This was partly because of their location and timing. Macron was already seen to be cozying up to China’s authoritarian leadership even as it provided diplomatic cover to Russia in the Ukraine war. His comments suggesting a balance between the US and China cut against the standard Western view that Beijing is responsible for aggressively disrupting the status quo in the region.
- To make matters worse for Macron, Beijing launched major military drills targeting Taiwan just as the French President left China. His critics, ranging from US politicians to European heads of government, tore into the French president for seeming to draw an equivalency between Chinese and American actions on the issue of Taiwan..
- To American observers, Macron’s comments seemed to suggest that France was not behind Washington in confronting China over its aggressive tactics around the Taiwan Strait.
- “If Macron speaks for all of Europe and their position now is, they’re not going to pick sides between the US and China over Taiwan, maybe then we should not be taking sides either… and [let them] handle Ukraine,” said US Senator Marco Rubio.
- European leaders were equally unimpressed with Macron’s views. Many leaders, especially in eastern Europe, are staring down the barrel of a major security threat from Russia after its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022. A strong US presence, they feel, is essential to deterring Moscow. Macron’s comments, which suggest building some distance between Europe and America, threaten to undermine their national security.
- “Instead of building strategic autonomy from the United States, I propose a strategic partnership with the United States,” said Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, in an apparent response to Macron’s calls for “strategic autonomy”.
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More
Less
#Mint #Explainer #Macrons #comments #Taiwan #landed #hot #water
