Taiwan Official Condemns Macron Over China Remarks

A senior Taiwan leader has publicly questioned Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to France’s founding ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity following anger at the president’s comments over ties with Beijing

- SRAVASTI DASGUPTA

In an interview that was supposed to showcase European unity, the French president cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an “American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction”. Mr Macron also called for the European Union to reduce its dependence on the United States and to become a “third pole” in world affairs alongside Washington and Beijing.

Taiwan parliament speaker You Si-kun reposted the comments on social media, adding: “Are ‘liberte, egalite, fraternite’ out of fashion? Is it OK just to ignore this once it’s part of the constitution? Or can advanced democratic countries ignore the lives and deaths of people in other countries? The actions of President Macron, a leading international democracy, leave me puzzled.”