Macron: "A Vassal in US-China Rivalry... Need to Reduce Dependence on the US"

Paradox of 'Strategic Autonomy'
Resistance to 'US Followers' Needed

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has just completed a state visit to China, emphasized Europe's 'independent strategy' to avoid being caught up in the US-China conflict. This move is interpreted as an attempt to secure economic benefits by positioning a third way amid the turmoil surrounding the US-China tensions over issues such as Taiwan.

According to Bloomberg and other sources on the 9th (local time), President Macron, during a joint interview with US and French media on the plane returning from China, stressed that "amid escalating US-China tensions, it is important for Europe to develop strategic autonomy to avoid becoming a vassal state of either side."

He mentioned energy, defense, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI), stating, "Europe does not want to depend on any particular country on critical issues," and added, "This would hinder Europe from building strategic autonomy."

He warned, "If tensions between the two superpowers escalate, Europe will become their vassal without the time or resources to develop strategic autonomy."

He continued, "The paradox is that in a panic, we come to believe that we are merely followers of the US, but the question Europe must answer is whether escalating the Taiwan crisis benefits us, and the answer is 'no.'"

He also said, "The worst thing is for us Europeans to think that we are just followers in this matter and that we must take cues from the agenda set by the US or China's overreactions."

Furthermore, he pointed out that the US dollar enjoys 'extraterritoriality' in the international economy and emphasized the need to reduce Europe's dependence on the dollar. The US political media outlet Politico cited the background of this claim as European companies being forced to abandon transactions with certain countries due to US sanctions or facing secondary sanctions.

Politico explained that resistance to dollar hegemony is a core policy goal of China, and that China, Russia, and Iran have recently been hit by US sanctions based on blocking access to the dollar-centered international financial network. It also noted that some European countries have expressed dissatisfaction with the US weaponizing the dollar.

Bloomberg reported that this interview took place before China conducted military exercises around Taiwan in retaliation for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to the US.

China mobilized 71 military aircraft and 9 warships to demonstrate force around Taiwan on the 8th, immediately after President Tsai returned from visits to Guatemala and Belize via the US, and conducted similar military exercises with comparable numbers of aircraft and ships on the 9th.

Meanwhile, from the 5th to the 7th, President Macron made a state visit to China accompanied by CEOs of 50 major French companies including Airbus, Alstom, LVMH, and EDF, as well as senior current and former officials.

During Macron's visit to China, major French economic media such as Les Echos commented that Europe should avoid accelerating conflicts and focus on establishing a third-country status between China and the US.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Regarding President Macron's conciliatory remarks toward China, analyses suggest that France, positioning itself as a balancer in the escalating US-China conflict, is focusing more on economic interests than ideology.

Yanmei Xi, a geopolitical analyst at the Beijing-based global economic research institute Gavekal Dragonomics, said, "Europe is willing to accept a world dominated by China," adding, "(Some European countries) believe that this reordering of the world order will actually be more advantageous for Europe."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.