Comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron on Taiwan left senior Taiwanese politician You Si-kun puzzled. Macron, on a trip to China aimed at showcasing European unity on China policy, had cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an “American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction.” He 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. You, one of the founders of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, questioned whether “liberté, égalité, fraternité” (liberty, equality, fraternity) was out of fashion. China has been undertaking military exercises around Taiwan since Saturday. Countries like France have no formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan but maintain a de facto embassy in Taipei and have joined other U.S. allies in underscoring the need for peace in the Taiwan Strait.
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