Macron's bitter medicine would be beneficial: China Daily editorial

In an interview with CNN last week, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed worries about the "big risk of a global divide", and the narrative that frames it as "the West against the rest".

Pushed by the CNN anchor to clarify on his April remarks on European strategic autonomy as well as relations with the United States and China, President Macron made no change to those comments, demonstrating instead that they were well-thought-out and carefully considered.

His words about European strategic autonomy, especially those about engaging China, may sound anachronistic at a time when Washington is making every effort to isolate Beijing in the name of "de-risking". But as a Chinese saying goes, "sincere advice may grate on the ear, but helps doing things right; fine medicine may taste bitter, but cures disease".

President Macron's remarks deserve serious attention from Washington, particularly as the Joe Biden administration is pushing its allies and partners to take sides in what it portrays as a decisive geopolitical competition between "democracies" and "authoritarian regimes" and an eschatological confrontation with evil.

President Macron stated that his government is against a divided world and in favor of one where countries work together to address global challenges such as poverty and climate change. Different values and systems should not prevent countries from cooperating to tackle common challenges. He told CNN, "We want to have the best possible relationship with China. We want and we have to work with China to fix climate change, biodiversity and a lot of conflicts in this world".

What is lacking in Washington's current China policy is precisely the rational mindset that President Macron has displayed. On the Taiwan question, for instance, President Macron's approach to preserving the status quo across the Taiwan Strait clearly puts the emphasis on peace through diplomatic maneuvering, while Washington seems determined to instigate a military conflict between the two sides of the Strait, portraying that as imminent and unavoidable because of Beijing's actions.

Compared with Macron's efforts to help maintain peace across the Strait, Washington's preparations for war may prove a disastrous self-fulfilling prophecy. As they blame the French leader for "appeasing" an "aggressive" China, the hawks in Washington should ask themselves to what extent their war-mongering serves US national interests.

Macron was correct in insisting that China and the US should not stay on a collision course, and cited the Paris Agreement to illustrate the benefits of their cooperation. It is impossible to build a global agenda and to fix issues if there is no agreement between China and the US, he said.

What is needed is not for countries to take sides, but rather, as Macron said, to act as moderators to encourage China and the US to reduce tensions and find common ground.