Instead of Europe’s „strategic autonomy”, Poland prefers to speak of a „strategic partnership” between the EU and the United States, the Polish government spokesman said as he commented on recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron, who recently visited China, said that Europe had no interest in accelerating the conflict in Taiwan and should become „a third pole” independent from both Washington and Beijing.

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as part of its territory, but the United States has committed to defending the island that wants to remain independent from Beijing.

In an interview with Les Echos and Politico newspapers during his three-day visit to China last week, Macron said „the worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and adapt to the American rhythm or a Chinese overreaction.”

The great risk” Europe faces is getting „caught up in crises that are not ours

— Macron also said.

Piotr Mueller who accompanied the Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, on his visit to Washington on Tuesday, told the Polish state-owned broadcaster TVP Info that Poland disagreed with Macron’s view.

„Instead of a ‘strategic autonomy’ we’re speaking about a strategic partnership… with the United States,” Mueller said. „This is an area (the US and Europe - PAP) that shares similar and in fact identical values, including democracy and rule of law and builds economic systems based on these principles.”

Mueller said that Poland’s role was „to forge a strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States.” (PAP)

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