French President Emmanuel Macron says Europe has no interest in an acceleration of the crisis over Taiwan, and should pursue a strategy, independent of both Washington and Beijing.
Macron had just returned from a three-day state visit to China, where he received a warm welcome from President Xi Jinping.
According to report, China began drills around Taiwan, in anger at President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.
Macron said Europe should not accelerate the conflict, but take the time to build its position as a third pole between China and the United States.
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and had never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, however Taiwan’s government strongly objects to China’s claims.