While Emmanuel Macron’s comments on Taiwan have been criticized in the United States, the Chinese media have seemed more convinced in recent days. These comments are “obviously the result of long-standing observation and reflection,” said the Global Times, a daily close to Chinese power, Tuesday, April 11. And to mention in an article “words of truth”.
“Some want to build a false Europe in public opinion, and hide the real voices and interests” of Europeans, criticizes the newspaper, with often acerbic editorials. During his state visit to China on April 6 and 7, the French president told the American site Politico and the business daily Les Echos that Europe should not align itself with the United States or China. in the event of a dispute over Taiwan. Comments published after his return to Paris. In the event of a conflict in Taiwan, “the worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should be followers” and “adapt to the American rhythm and to a Chinese ‘overreaction'”, also estimated Emmanuel Macron, pleading for a ” strategic autonomy” of the European Union.
“Opposition to a New Cold War”
The remarks, released on Sunday as China simulated targeted bombings against Taiwan, caused confusion among other NATO members. Former US President Donald Trump accused Emmanuel Macron of “licking China’s ass” after his visit to Beijing, during a Fox News interview that aired on Tuesday.
This position of the French head of state “will prove to be a brilliant decision”, because it translates “an opposition to a new cold war”, greets journalist Chen Weihua, correspondent in Brussels for China Daily, an official daily. published in English. “Macron’s ideas are very good,” said a user on the social network Weibo, in tune with many other comments. “Europe’s arrogance and inaction for many years has led to extreme strategic passivity in the face of the United States. »
However, warns the influential Hu Xijin, former editor of the Global Times and champion of Chinese nationalism, it is “unrealistic” to think that France will side with China in the event of a conflict with the United States. Europe and the United States “have common values ??and are bound by NATO”, he wrote to his followers on the Weibo social network.
For its part, Taiwan said it “needs France”, stressing that each country had “a role to play” to avoid a war with China. “France counts in the region, it is a country of the Indo-Pacific region”, underlined on Radio Classique the representative of Taipei in France, Chihchung Wu, who reacted to controversial remarks by the French president.
He stressed that it was not necessarily about actively participating militarily: “We are not naive, we are not here hoping that France will send the army to Taiwan, that France will die for Taiwan. “. However, he highlights other ways to show his support, citing in particular the aid provided by France to Ukraine, which for example sends Caesar guns to Kiev, when Taiwan stopped delivering its semiconductors to the Russia.
