Macron: France favours ‘status quo’ on Taiwan, position unchanged

• President Emmanuel Macron said France’s position on Taiwan had not changed and that he favoured the current “status quo” in respect of the island, after he was asked to clarify comments that prompted a backlash in the United States and Europe.
• In an interview with news outlet Politico and daily Les Echos, Macron had cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an “American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.”
• That brought criticism from some politicians and commentators in Europe and the United States, with former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing him of “kissing ass” to Beijing.
• “The French and European position on Taiwan is the same one. We’re in favour of the status quo. This policy is constant and hasn’t changed,” Macron told a news conference during a state visit in the Netherlands.
• “It’s the One-China policy and a Pacific resolution of the situation. That’s what I said in my one-to-one meeting with Xi Jinping, that’s what was said everywhere, we haven’t changed,” he said.
• The French leader also said he shared a vision of an “open Indo-Pacific region” with U.S. President Joe Biden, even if they each had their own approach on China.
• The Dutch Prime Minister, who was hosting Macron for a two-day state visit, said he had a very successful meeting with Macron and did not distance himself from his guest’s comments, but reaffirmed his belief in the Western alliance.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/macron-france-favours-status-quo-taiwan-position-unchanged-2023-04-12/