Emmanuel Macron said that Europe should not be drawn into a confrontation between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan. Photo: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP
Emmanuel Macron's stance on China is a «garbage can fire» that could undermine Western support for Taiwan, a senior US congressman warned.
Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said he was «shocked» by the attitude of the French President towards Beijing.
He made this statement during a visit to London, during which a delegation of American politicians held talks with deputies and Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace.
British and American members of the global parliamentary alliance on China met on Friday to discuss a tougher Western response.
Last month, Macron caused an uproar when he said Europe should not be dragged into a confrontation between Washington and Beijing from -for Taiwan.
The French President said the EU should reduce its dependence on America and strive to become a «third superpower» and not a «follower.»
«Europeans must answer the question : Is it in our interest to hasten [the crisis] in Taiwan? No, he told reporters aboard his government aircraft.
«The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should become followers of this theme and focus on the US agenda and China's overreaction.»< /p>Red carpet reception
He made this statement on his way back from a three-day visit to China, during which he received a red carpet reception and spent six hours with Xi Jinping, President of China.
“Macron’s trip and comments were what we describe in the United States as a garbage can fire. I was shocked by some of these comments,” Mr. Gallagher told the Telegraph.
“They sent the wrong message, especially to our friends in Taiwan. We don't want the CCP to drive a wedge between America and Europe.»
Republican Congressman said the UK also needs to «do more» on Hong Kong and qualify China's actions as Xinjiang as genocide.
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He added that Western countries need to start breaking economic ties with Beijing, but acknowledged that there are disputes on both sides of the Atlantic about how to do this.
“When it comes to economic decoupling, what is the right policy ? ? It's extremely difficult, that's what makes this new cold war so much harder than the old one,” he said.
“These are very difficult problems, but there is no scenario in which we successfully win this competition being on the same wavelength as our friends and allies in the UK.”
Too soft on China
Sir Ian Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader who led a British parliamentary delegation, said Mr Sunak was being too soft on China.
“We have been clear about the huge threat that China poses to us, not only from militarily, but also extremely economically and culturally,” he said.
“Here in the UK, we believe that the government has not gone far enough and refuses to call China a threat, even if it is only potential threat. We have to change that.»
He added that he was «deeply disappointed» that the prime minister had «fallen back» on banning Confucius Institutes from operating in British universities.
Sir Ian said, that the so-called language schools pose a «threat» to students and are «a cover for the control and intimidation of the Chinese government.»
The government said on Wednesday that it would be «disproportionate» to ban them, despite the fact that Mr. -Sunak promised to do so during last year's Tory Leadership Contest.
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