AMSTERDAM — French President Emmanuel Macron is about to ship a speech outlining his imaginative and prescient for the way forward for Europe right through a two-day state talk over with to the Netherlands that started Tuesday.
The afternoon speech at a theater in The Hague comes after Macron raised eyebrows with comments on Taiwan after his fresh talk over with to China.
“The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: Is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No,” Macron used to be quoted as announcing in an interview revealed Sunday in French newspaper Les Echos and via Politico Europe.
“The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction.”
The remarks raised questions on whether or not Macron’s perspectives are consistent with the European Union’s place and whether or not the bloc of 27 is in a position to transform the “third superpower” that Macron says he hopes to construct inside of “a few years.”
The interview used to be Friday, ahead of China introduced large-scale battle workouts round Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in line with the Taiwanese president’s go back and forth to the U.S. final week. Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Beijing final week for talks and advised Chinese chief Xi Jinping to “bring Russia to its senses” over its struggle in Ukraine.
He emphasised the idea that of “strategic autonomy” for Europe which he has promoted for years. He warned of what he referred to as the “trap” that might result in the bloc “getting caught up in crises that are not ours.”
China and Taiwan cut up in 1949 after a civil struggle, and the federal government in Beijing says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, via pressure if vital.
Macron’s go back and forth to Amsterdam and The Hague is the primary state talk over with via a French chief since Jacques Chirac 23 years in the past and underscores the shut hyperlinks between the Netherlands and France and the 2 leaders.
After arriving in Amsterdam, Macron and Dutch King Willem-Alexander inspected a guard of honor at the sq. outdoor the capital’s royal palace as an army band performed and the French and Dutch flags fluttered in a brisk breeze.
Macron used to be set to put a wreath on the nationwide monument close to the palace within the historical center of the town. He later travels to The Hague for a gathering with leaders of each properties of the Dutch parliament ahead of turning in his speech.
In the night time, Macron and his spouse ,Brigitte, go back to Amsterdam for a dinner party hosted via Willem-Alexander.
On Wednesday, Macron itinerary contains visiting a science park in Amsterdam, talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and viewing a blockbuster exhibition of artwork via Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer on the Rijksmuseum.
___
Corder reported from The Hague.
post credit to Source link