The failure of the recent joint mission of Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen Beijing does not stop generating replicas. If the French president caused a strong controversy by defending that the EU must not be dragged down by the United States to a direct clash with China over Taiwan in a crisis “that is not ours”, the head of community diplomacy, Josep Borrellhas dedicated his last speeches to publicly contradicting him, to the point of calling on the European navies to “patrol the Taiwan Strait”.
In his controversial interview upon his return from Beijing, Macron was extremely sympathetic to the president’s position. Xi Jinping, which regards Taiwan as a rogue province that must sooner or later return to the Chinese fold, even through the use of force. “The Chinese are concerned about their unity and Taiwan, from their point of view, is a component of it. It is important to understand how they reason,” argued the French president.
“The question before us Europeans is this: are we interested in speeding up the Taiwan issue? No. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should be followers of this issue and adapt to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction,” says Macron. In his opinion, the greatest risk for Europe would be “getting caught up in a disruption of the world and in a crisis that is not ours.”
[Macron defiende que la UE debe ser la tercera superpotencia mundial frente a EEUU y China]
Macron’s intervention provoked a strong rejection both in the United States and in the Baltic countries and Eastern Europe, or even in Germany, with accusations of being excessively conciliatory with the regime in Beijing. As a representative of the foreign policy of the EU, Borrell has clearly distanced himself from the French theses, yes, without ever directly citing Macron.
“Taiwan is essential for Europe. For three reasons. Because it is the most strategic strait in the world and particularly for our trade. We have to be present there through the freedom of navigation in the seas, through our fleets,” said the head of European diplomacy in a speech in the European Parliament last week.
French President Emmanuel Macron, his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on April 6 in Beijing.
Reuters
“Second, not only for a moral reason – an action against Taiwan must necessarily be rejected – but also because it would be, in economic terms, very serious for us, given that Taiwan has a strategic role in the production of the most advanced semiconductorsBorrell says.
“Finally, if we want to be and we say we want to be a geopolitical power, we have to be present in all parts of the world. To reaffirm our positions. To defend our interests. To call for calm. To prevent provocations, wherever they come from. And that’s why the best solution is to go back to status quo sooner. Taiwan is clearly part of our geostrategic perimeter to guarantee peace, to defend our interests without adding fuel to the fire. And I am sure that all European countries share this position,” said the High Representative.
[El embajador de China en Francia causa indignación en la UE al negar la soberanía de los bálticos]
Over the weekend, Borrell went one step further and published an article precisely in the French press (in Le Journal Du Dimanche) in which he defends a greater European presence in Taiwan. “On Taiwan, our position is simple and consistent. In our opinion, there is only one China. But not under any condition. And certainly not through the use of force,” writes the former Spanish foreign minister.
“Indeed, Europe must be very present on this issue that worries us economically, commercially and technologically. That is why I call on the European navies to patrol the Taiwan Strait, to demonstrate Europe’s commitment to freedom of navigation in this absolutely crucial area. At the same time, we must be alert to provocations and escalations. The vast majority of Taiwanese believe that the status quo peaceful is the most appropriate solution. Therefore, let us be firm in enforcing this principle,” Borrell claimed.
Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye during his interview on French TV
The growing tension in relations between the European Union and Beijing was also brought to the fore over the weekend by the Chinese ambassador in Paris, Lu Shaye, perhaps emboldened by the good harmony between Macron and Xi. In a televised interview, Shaye questioned the independence of the Baltic countries after the fall of the Soviet Unionas well as the membership of Crimea to Ukraine.
After the outrage unleashed in the EU by these words, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs picked up cable and somewhat disavowed its ambassador. “China respects the status of the Member States as Sovereign states after the fall of the Soviet Union“, said a ministry spokesman, who recalled that Beijing was one of the first to establish diplomatic relations with the Balts.
For Borrell, this rectification is enough. “Everyone can have a wrong expression or can express themselves in a wrong way. I will not go into that matter. It is a matter of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. What he wanted to know was what the official position is. This has been cleared up. And as expected, it was not to question the sovereignty of the former Soviet Republics “, he said.
