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Will Macron’s take on Taiwan tilt the balance in China’s favour?
- The French president’s call for Europe to avoid bloc politics over the island is part of his non-confrontational approach to Beijing
- But observers question whether his comments will remain France’s long-term position
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French President Emmanuel Macron’s reluctance to follow Washington’s lead in a war over Taiwan will be welcomed in Beijing but it is unlikely to alter the balance of power in the region, according to observers.
In an interview with Politico published on Sunday, Macron, who was on his way back to Paris after a three-day state visit to China, said Europe had no interest in accelerating the crisis over Taiwan and must reduce its dependence on the United States.
“The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must be followers and adapt ourselves to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction,” Macron was quoted as saying.
“We don’t want to get into a bloc-versus-bloc logic,” he said, adding Europe “should not be caught up in a disordering of the world and crises that aren’t ours”.
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His comments came as tensions across the Taiwan Strait spiked again, with Beijing launching military drills on the weekend in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. Beijing sees the self-ruled island as a breakaway province that must be reunited one day, by force if necessary.
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