Macron's Controversial Stance on Taiwan and China

French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that Europe should become a "third pole" independent of both Washington and Beijing on the issue of Taiwan, causing criticism from political actors on both sides of the Atlantic. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Macron's comments have been criticized as being too accommodating of China, just as it carries out military drills around Taiwan.