France has nothing to learn from anyone. Neither from the days around Ukraine, in the Sahel, nor around Taiwan, said French President Emmanuel Macron during his last visit to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Amsterdam. At the press conference, newspaper headlines initially focused on one thing: What did Macron mean after his announcement last week regarding relations between the US and Europe in regard to Taiwan?

Being an ally does not mean being a subordinate. The fact that we are allies, that we jointly do the things we decide, does not mean that we cannot think independently first and that we will follow those with the toughest attitudes in our allied countries, Macron said in Amsterdam, where the following vtch criticized former US President Donald Trump. In contrast, Trump has said about Macron that Chinese President Xi Jinping is in trouble.

According to him, proof of France’s commitment to regional security in the South Sea is the presence of the French Prairial frigate in the Taiwan Strait.

Macron’s explanatory comments came shortly after, returning from a week-long meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying in an interview with French newspaper Les Echos and the Brussels Politico website that Europe should avoid getting involved in the conflict. none of its business, and should not act as a US vassal in terms of Taiwan’s defense.

His remarks raise deep concern about the transatlantic alliance at a time when the US is providing known military aid to Ukraine and the communists are taking new steps in Taiwan.

he considers the island part of his country, which Taipei rejects. French and European attitudes towards Taiwan are still the same. We are for the status quo and this policy has not changed, it is one and one policy for peace on this issue, said Macron, noting that this position has always been in line with that of the allies.

We are vulnerable and we need allies

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock distanced herself from Macron’s words during a speech this weekend. He betrayed the alliance with the United States on the Taiwan issue, saying the European Union could not ignore China’s escalation in the region.

At a time when we are facing our own security threats, we see how important it is to have partners from around the world who share our values. This is very important for us, because as Germany and the European Union we are vulnerable. In the same way, we cannot ignore the tensions in the Taiwan Strait, Baerbockov said in Tianjin, where he begins his weekly trip there.

The region’s importance to Europe is also highlighted by the fact that half of world trade and 70 percent of world peninsula production first passes through this region. Free access to the Taiwan Strait is also in our own economic interests, he added.

na: Don’t equate politics with economics

on the other hand, he reminded Germany not to politicize the trade relations between the two countries. At the same time, he was reacting to the possibility of Germany re-evaluating the Hamburg factory’s two poor sales to Chinese state giant Cosco.

We hope that Germany will not politicize, ideologically, deal with security and artificially create normal business cooperation, said Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.