French President Says Europe Should Not Be America’s ‘Vassals’ on Taiwan-China

French President Emmanuel Macron sparked controversy on Saturday by saying Europe should assert its “sovereignty” and not merely be “America’s followers” on issues like China-Taiwan tensions. 

Key Quotes: Speaking to Politico (Lean left bias), Macron said, “The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers” on the topic of Taiwan, and “take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction.” Macron later defended his statement, saying, “Just because we are allies, just because we do things together that we decide to do, doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think on our own and that we will follow the most extreme people in a country that is allied with us.” Both American and French officials reaffirmed the countries’ alliance in separate statements. 

Macron’s Critics: Macron was widely panned in Europe for his remarks. He drew particularly sharp criticism from U.S. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said, “If France is truly committed to abandoning democratic nations in favor of a brutal communist regime, the United States must reassess its posture toward France.” 

Macron’s Defenders: Some defended Macron, including French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who warned that total economic decoupling from China would make Europe “the village idiots.”

How the Media Covered It: Voices from the right were generally more critical; the Editorial Boards of the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) and The Wall Street Journal (Opinion rated Lean Right) both voiced concern over the remarks. Coverage from the left was generally less critical and more analytical.