Emmanuel Macron says his position on Taiwan is unchanged
President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that his position on China and Taiwan has not changed
AMSTERDAM (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron commented on his published remarks on China and Taiwan that raised questions after he visited Beijing last week, insisting Wednesday that his views have not changed.
“The position of France and the Europeans on Taiwan is the same. We are for the status quo, and this policy is constant," Macron told reporters in Amsterdam near the end of a two-day state visit to the Netherlands. "It hasn’t changed. It’s the policy of one China and the peaceful settlement of the question.”
He was referring to remarks published Sunday from an interview with French newspaper Les Echos and Politico Europe. The remarks elicited doubts about whether Macron’s views were in line with the European Union’s position on Taiwan's status. Beijing claims that the island is a Chinese territory that must be brought under its control, by force if necessary.
“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 in the interview. “The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction.”
