France's Macron insists on Europe's independence from US in China-Taiwan policy

ANKARA

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted on Europe's independence from the United States in its Taiwan policy.

Macron responded to reporters after his three-day visit to China, French newspaper Les Echos reported Sunday.

The president said that Europe must reduce its dependence on the US in its China-Taiwan policy.

The French leader stressed Europe's strategic autonomy and added that it would be risky for the continent to find itself dragged into crises that are not its own.

For Macron, strategic autonomy is to admit disagreement with the US but to have a European strategy on Ukraine, China, or the sanctions.

"The worst thing to think would be that we Europeans must be followers on this topic, and adapt ourselves to the American pace and Chinese overreaction," he said.

Macron also added that "the key to depending less on the Americans is to strengthen our defense industry and agree on common standards."

The president said that Europe has no fossil resources, and the fight in the next 10 to 15 years will be the nuclear and renewable energies, as well as energy sobriety.