French President Macron compares defense of Ukraine to Taiwan

法國總統馬克宏將保衛烏克蘭比喻為保衛台灣

Macron delivers keynote address at Shangri-La Dialogue, warns of global consequences for inaction


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — French President Emmanuel Macron warned that failing to hold Russia accountable for its aggression in Ukraine could embolden China to act similarly toward Taiwan.

Delivering the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, Macron said that if Russia were allowed to seize parts of Ukraine without consequences, it would send a dangerous signal to the Indo-Pacific, per CNA.

Macron became the first European head of state to give the opening speech at the regional defense summit, founded in 2002. He cautioned that the credibility of the US and Europe was at stake and that inaction could invite accusations of double standards, particularly amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Marc Julienne, director of the Center for Asian Studies at the French Institute of International Relations, told CNA that Macron’s comparison between Ukraine and Taiwan was intended to emphasize the interconnectedness of Europe and Asia and warn against double standards.

Macron reminded listeners that international law prohibits the use of force to alter borders, whether in Ukraine, Gaza, or Asia. “This is why the violation of international law concerns everyone,” Julienne added.

Emmanuel Véron, a lecturer at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, said Macron’s speech addressed the use of force and intimidation against neighboring countries, drawing parallels between Europe and Asia. Véron said Macron sought to show that “stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific” is a growing French priority. Other countries, including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Lithuania, as well as EU institutions, are also shifting in this direction, he said.

This is not the first time Macron has compared the Taiwan-China and Ukraine-Russia situations. In a Feb. 20 livestream, he said, “How can you be credible in the face of China if you're weak when faced with Putin? How will you explain that China doesn't have the right to invade Taiwan?” Allowing Ukraine to fall to Russia would send a strategic signal to Beijing, he said.

While some observers question the comparison due to Taiwan's unique diplomatic status, Julienne argued the parallel is useful. “Both countries are facing a revisionist power willing to use force against international law and the will of the people,” he said.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue, which concludes Sunday, Macron was asked how France would respond if China invaded another country. He replied cautiously: “We never sell something we cannot deliver. If China decides to take massive action against a country, will you intervene on day one? I would say today that I would be very cautious.”

Still, he emphasized that Europe and Asia face shared threats from revisionist powers seeking to reshape the global order through force. The two continents have a common interest in preventing the collapse of that order, he said.