Macron slammed for controversial Taiwan comments after lengthy chat with Xi Jinping

Macron slammed for controversial Taiwan comments after lengthy chat with Xi Jinping

Macron’s remarks had been revealed Sunday in an interview with French newspaper Les Echos and Politico Europe.

“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 within the interview.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, second left, and French President Emmanuel Macron discuss within the backyard of the Guandong province governor’s residence, in Guangzhou, China, Friday, April 7, 2023. (Jacques Witt, Pool through AP) (AP)

“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.”

Macron spoke to reporters on his approach again from a three-day state go to to China, the place he spoke at size with President Xi Jinping, together with about Taiwan, in keeping with Macron’s workplace.

The feedback have drawn large consideration on social media, and consultants raised questions on whether or not Macron’s views are in step with the European Union’s place and whether or not the bloc of 27 is ready to change into the “third superpower” that Macron says he hopes to construct inside “a few years”.

Macron on Tuesday is to begin a two-day state go to in The Netherlands, the place he’s scheduled to make a speech on Europe’s sovereignty, with a concentrate on the financial system and business, in keeping with his workplace.

Macron spoke to reporters on his approach again from a three-day state go to to China, the place he spoke at size with President Xi Jinping. (Jacques Witt, Pool through AP) (AP)

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

He emphasised the idea of “strategic autonomy” for Europe which he has promoted for years.

He warned of what he known as the “trap” that might result in the bloc “getting caught up in crises that are not ours”.

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

Politico mentioned Macron’s workplace requested to verify the president’s quotes earlier than they had been revealed, a standard follow in France, resulting in some components of the interview wherein he “spoke even more frankly about Taiwan and Europe’s strategic autonomy” getting lower out.

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Source: www.9news.com.au