French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on Thursday, but statements the two leaders released differed over Taiwan just 10 days after Macron had drawn criticism with allies over the issue.
In an interview with French daily Les Echos and news portal Politico, Macron called for the European Union to reduce its dependence on the U.S. and to become a "third pole" in world affairs alongside Washington and Beijing, and he cautioned against being drawn into a crisis over Taiwan driven by an "American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction".
A readout from the French presidency made no direct mention of Taiwan, merely saying that both sides desired to "support international law, including freedom of navigation, throughout the Indo-Pacific region." While many of Macron's previous remarks were not new, the timing of their publication - at the end of a high-profile trip to China, as Beijing carried out military exercises near Taiwan - and their bluntness annoyed countries in eastern Europe. Many governments in that region see ties with the U.S. as sacrosanct, particularly given Washington's key role in helping Ukraine defend against Russia's invasion.
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