French President Emmanuel Macron is making a two-day state go to to the Netherlands the place he’s anticipated to ship a keynote speech about the way forward for Europe.
The speech, to be held at a theater in The Hague, follows Macron’s controversial feedback about Taiwan throughout his latest go to 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 was quoted as saying in an interview printed Sunday within the French newspaper Les Echos and by 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 views are in keeping with the European Union’s place and whether or not the bloc of 27 is ready to change into the “third superpower” that Macron says he hopes to construct inside “a few years.”
The interview was Friday, earlier than China launched large-scale fight workouts round Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in response to the Taiwanese president’s journey to the U.S. final week.
Macron emphasised the idea of “strategic autonomy” for Europe which he has promoted for years. He warned of what he referred to as the “trap” that will result in the bloc “getting caught up in crises that are not ours.”
China and Taiwan break up in 1949 after a civil warfare. The authorities in Beijing says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by drive if vital.
Macron’s journey to Amsterdam and The Hague is the primary state go to by 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 on the sq. exterior the capital’s royal palace as a army band performed and the French and Dutch flags fluttered in a brisk breeze.
After the glory guard and earlier than Macron solemnly laid a wreath on the nationwide monument close to the palace within the historic coronary heart of town, a small group of individuals protesting Macron’s pension reforms briefly held up a banner in French that stated: “We will not be beaten into retirement.”
Macron later travels to The Hague for a gathering with leaders of each homes of the Dutch parliament earlier than delivering his speech.
In the night, Macron and his spouse, Brigitte, return to Amsterdam for a banquet hosted by Willem-Alexander.
On Wednesday, Macron’s itinerary consists of visiting a science park in Amsterdam, talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and viewing a blockbuster exhibition of work by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer on the Rijksmuseum.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
