French President Emmanuel Macron’s Protest Against Chinese Aggression in Taiwan Draws Condemnation from Beijing

French President Emmanuel Macron’s Protest Against Chinese Aggression in Taiwan Draws Condemnation from Beijing

Beijing has strongly condemned French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks comparing China’s dispute over Taiwan with Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, calling them “unacceptable.” Macron made the comments during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Friday night.

Macron warned that if Russia’s unrestrained aggression in Ukraine is not stopped, it could set a dangerous precedent for Asia. He stated:

“If Russian President Vladimir Putin can seize territory in Ukraine without any checks or consequences... then what might happen in Taiwan? And what will you do the day something happens in the Philippines?”

Immediately following Macron’s remarks, the Chinese embassy in Singapore sharply criticized his statement. In a Facebook post on Saturday, the embassy said:

“Comparing the Taiwan issue with the Ukraine crisis is unacceptable.”

The embassy added:

“These two issues are fundamentally different in nature and cannot be compared.”

The French president was also accused of applying a “double standard.”

China’s Aggression a Central Theme at Shangri-La Dialogue

Interestingly, Macron’s comments came just a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the same summit, warned that the threat from China in Asia could be “imminent.”

He said:

“There’s nothing to hide. The threat coming from China is real and could be imminent.”

He further warned:

“If China launches a military operation in Taiwan, it will have devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific region and the entire world.”

Macron’s Sharp Warning on Gaza

Meanwhile, Macron also issued a stern warning regarding Gaza, saying that Europe’s global credibility is under threat due to perceptions that it has given Israel a “free pass.”

He said:

“If we ignore Gaza, if we assume that there is a free pass for Israel—even if we condemn terrorist attacks—then we will lose our credibility in the world.”

Macron pointed out that since October 2023, more than 50,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza, and the population is now facing widespread famine.