With the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating relationship between China and the West and concern about the deepening relationship between China and Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron and EU President Ursula von der Leyen both visited Beijing on the week of April 3rd.
While Macron's visit was treated very much as a high-level official state visit by the Chinese government, President von der Leyen's visit was much more low key.
In our previous podcast, The Beijing Straddle with Alex Davey of MERICS, we had discussed France's position on 'strategic autonomy' and how China had called on the EU to support it. On Macron's recent visit to China, he reiterated this position explicitly stating that Europe must reduce its dependency on the United States and avoid getting dragged into a confrontation between China and the US over Taiwan.
In this episode, we cover President von der Leyen's landmark speech on EU-China relations prior to her China visit, President Macron's controversial statements on 'strategic autonomy' and maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as the reaction to his comments from both sides of the Atlantic.
Published on April 14th, 2023.
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Additional information on the topics covered in this episode:
- President Ursula von der Leyen's speech on EU-China relations from March 30th, 2023.
- Macron to take French business leaders to China next week, despite EU calls to 'de-risk' ties - Finbarr Bermingham, South China Morning Post. (April 1st, 2023)
- Macron fails to move Xi Jinping over Russia's war on Ukraine - Clea Caulcutt, Jamil Anderlini and Stuart Lau, Politico (April 6th, 2023)
- Macron has made a fool of himself in China - Ian Williams - The Spectator (April 7th, 2023)
- Europe must resist pressure to become 'America's followers', says Macron - Jamil Anderlini and Clea Caulcutt, Politico (April 9th, 2023)
- Macron on Taiwan: 'An ally not a vassal', says France Leader - BBC News (April 12th, 2023)
- Europe is Disastrously Split on China - Thorsten Benner, Foreign Policy (April 12th, 2023)
- Germany: EU 'cannot be indifferent' to China - Taiwan tensions - DW News (April 13th, 2023)
- Chinese Ambassador to EU, Fu Cong responds to President von der Leyen's speech on EU - China relations on China State Media.
