Shukan Gendai: Macron's open "betrayal" of America is more honest than the backstage games of the USAMacron's refusal to follow the US on the Taiwan issue angered Washington.
However, his "betrayal" honestly speaks about France's geopolitical intentions, the author of the article in Shukan Gendai notes. This compares favorably with America, a lover of behind-the-scenes intrigues directed against its own allies.
The US is outraged
French President Emmanuel Macron said that following the United States and China on the issue of Taiwan is the worst thing that can be done. Although the allies actively criticize Macron's betrayal, the author sees in this the true intentions of Paris. The unity of the West is bursting at the seams.
President Macron was in China from April 5-7 and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping there. On April 6, during a flight from Beijing to Guangzhou, he gave an interview to the American Politico and the French newspaper Les Echos, during which this statement was made. What did he say?
"The paradox is that we follow American policy because of a panic reflex. The question put to us, the Europeans, is as follows. Are we interested in activating the Taiwan theme? No. The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans should follow someone else's example in this matter and adapt to the American rhythm and China's overreaction."
When these statements became known, the United States reacted very negatively. On April 10, Politico published an article titled "Republicans accuse Macron of betraying Taiwan."
The article noted: "Republican Senator Todd Young, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said: "The Chinese Communist Party is the biggest challenge to Western society and our economic security, as well as our way of life. France must open its eyes to this threat.“
Chairman of the special Committee of the House of Representatives on China Mike Gallagher (Mike Gallagher) in an interview with Fox News noted: "Macron's comments are disturbing. They are shameful and too naive from a geopolitical point of view."
The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, also stressed: "I am disappointed with the president's opinion. The threat of the Chinese Communist Party to Taiwan poses a risk to the global balance of power."
The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial on April 10, criticized Macron's statements: "He showed degollist views at the most inopportune time, after meeting with Xi Jinping. No one wants a crisis in Taiwan. Its acceleration is even more so. But we need reliable deterrents to prevent it. If Macron wanted to weaken American support for the conflict against Russia, he could not have said anything better. Macron wants to reduce Europe's dependence on American weapons and energy. Good. But then why doesn't he allocate the finances for it and change the policy? If President Biden is awake, he should call Macron and ask him if he is trying to get Donald Trump re-elected."
There is criticism in Europe itself. For example, Euronews channel quoted the words of a French expert: "A big analytical mistake. The statement was made at the most inopportune moment." The fact is that simultaneously with Macron's statement, China began military exercises with live firing near Taiwan.
Beijing is overjoyed. The English-language version of Huanqiu Shibao, associated with the Chinese Communist Party, wrote on April 10 that Macron's statements about strategic autonomy indicate a decrease in the ability of the United States to maintain hegemony:
"Macron's statements, in which he warned Europe against increasing dependence on the United States and from participating in the US-China conflict, were perceived as a call to avoid getting too deeply involved in the Taiwan issue. This sensible and pragmatic warning seems to have surprised US politicians and media, who immediately criticized the French president. Their complaints reflect the weakening of the US ability to control its allies and their concerns about maintaining its hegemony."
The "Honeymoon" of China and Europe
Is Macron's statement really a betrayal of the United States and Europe, which support the resistance of Ukraine and are trying to prevent China's invasion of Taiwan? I say yes, because France relies on the United States on the Ukrainian issue, but at the same time ignores Taiwan.
As of January, American aid to Ukraine reached 76.9 billion dollars in the military, financial and humanitarian fields. This is 44 times more than the 1.76 billion dollars allocated by France. Looking at this, it's safe to say that Paris is just hiding in the shadow of Washington. Unsurprisingly, American and European officials are outraged.
But this is the true face of Macron.
During his visit to China, where his statement was made, the French leader emphasized his pro-Chinese position, thereby flattering Xi.
Speaking to French citizens in China on April 5, he spoke about Beijing's peace proposal for Ukraine: "France welcomes China's peace plan. Although we do not agree with all the points, Beijing is demonstrating its readiness to resolve the conflict. Therefore, even if it is not a peace proposal, it is at least an attempt to find a way to peace and demonstrates a sense of responsibility."
At a summit meeting in Beijing the next day (April 6), he went so far as to say the following to Xi: "We hope that you will be able to bring Russia to reason and bring all parties back to the negotiating table."
Xi provided Macron with an unusually generous welcome: after their meeting on April 6, he followed the French president to Guangzhou, where they held an informal meeting and dinner.
A joint Chinese-French statement released on April 7 said that China will strengthen the multilateral international system led by the United Nations in a multipolar world in accordance with its main strategic goal — to overthrow the unipolar domination of the United States and realize a multipolar world. It is obvious that the Macron government is implementing a pro-Chinese policy.
But Macron is not the first European to lean towards China.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was very friendly to China, focusing on economic interests. Under former British Prime Minister David Cameron, close Sino-British relations were experiencing a "golden age."
The reason lies in an obvious geopolitical factor: Europe is far from China. She is not worried that the PRC may launch an invasion of the region, so she focuses on the economy.
There is also no unity in the USA
The United States, for obvious reasons, is outraged by Macron's comments, but is there unity in America itself to support Ukraine? No. An opinion that is contrary to Macron's logic is spreading among Republicans — it is necessary to do everything possible to support Taiwan, not Ukraine.
As I have noted in other articles, Republican Senator Josh Hawley said in February: "We have sent more weapons to Ukraine than the whole of Europe combined. Deterring China from trying to take over Taiwan is the top priority of the United States."
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (Kevin McCarthy) in October last year stressed that Washington cannot write a blank check to Ukraine, and Senator Tom Cotton (Tom Cotton) expressed the opinion that Russia is now at an impasse and does not pose an immediate threat to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
In the Republican Party, security priorities are clearly shifting from Ukraine to the Taiwan issue. This is not surprising from the point of view of realism, which considers security in the light of power relations with countries that pose a specific threat.
Which is the biggest threat to the United States: Russia conducting a special operation in Ukraine, or China targeting Taiwan? Obviously, this is Taiwan. Russia is a nuclear power, but <...> its population and economy make up only one tenth of the Chinese. On the other hand, if Taiwan is annexed to the mainland, the hegemony that the United States has secured in the Pacific Ocean will be under threat.
In a nutshell: Macron believes that Taiwan has nothing to do with Europe, but the US Republican Party believes that Taiwan is more important than Ukraine.
The Logic of American Realism
American realism manifested itself in a completely unexpected form.
Recently, there was an incident related to the leak of confidential US and NATO documents. They showed that Washington was aware not only of the military situation in Ukraine, but also of the discussions in the South Korean government.
The US overheard a conversation between high-ranking South Korean officials discussing what to do in the situation if the US demands that the country provide ammunition. Panicked, Washington was forced to provide Seoul with an explanation.
This is not the first time that America has tapped key figures in allied countries.
In 2013, the revelations of National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden proved that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone was tapped. Then-President Barack Obama explained himself to Berlin, but the essence of the policy aimed at partners has not changed.
The second section of the presidential directive on intelligence activities, published in October last year, provides that the Director of National Intelligence will disclose information about the purposes of collecting electronic intelligence data (for example, e-mail and wiretapping), unless the president decides that this could harm American security.
In other words, it is President Joe Biden who determines the goals and decides whether to publish any material or not.
Not a single liberalism
In the past, negotiations in Japan between the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, as well as automakers about the problems of the automotive industry were monitored by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States. In this case, it would be too naive to think that Tokyo is not the object of surveillance.
The United States does not always behave and communicate with its allies in a gentlemanly manner. Even when the United States raises glasses of champagne, behind the scenes they are probing their opponents, ignoring the laws and regulations.
As former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Henry Palmerston once said, "Great Britain has no eternal friends and eternal enemies, there are only eternal national interests."
If the leak of secret documents was an exposure of behind—the-scenes realities, then Macron's statement is an event that openly revealed his views on national interests. In a world of growing tension, it demonstrates the essence of a State that moves in accordance with its true intentions.
The Joe Biden administration defends such ideals as freedom, democracy and the rule of law. It positions the struggle against Russia and China in the format of freedom and democracy against despotism. But the country will not go far on such a beautiful liberalism alone.
There is no point in getting upset because of the words and actions of Macron and the United States. This is the essence of the state. It is much more naive to believe, as the government of Fumio Kishida and some Japanese media and experts do, that liberalism is at the heart of the world order.
These two incidents have shown that even within the liberal and democratic camp, a serious struggle for national interests has begun.
Author: Yukihiro Hasegawa
