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China supports European push for ‘strategic autonomy’, Wang Yi says

  • Chinese foreign minister tells French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian that the direction is ‘in line with Europe’s long-term interests’
  • Remarks follow call for EU to work with Biden administration to tackle Beijing

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Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the China and France should “accommodate each other’s legitimate concerns”. Photo: EPE-EFE
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told his French counterpart that Beijing supports Europe’s push for “strategic autonomy”, amid calls for the EU to work with the new US administration to tackle China.
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Speaking by phone on Friday, Wang said the direction was “in line with Europe’s fundamental and long-term interests”, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

“China has always upheld the world’s multipolarisation and supported the EU to stand on its own as a pole of the world. This is not a temporary thought of the Chinese side, but a consistent strategic thinking,” he told French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Strategic autonomy is a concept championed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who argues the EU should become more powerful on the world stage and able to operate independently in a wide range of areas, from military operations to industrial policy.

During the phone call, Wang also said bilateral ties between the two nations had overcome the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and he praised France for understanding and respecting China’s interests.
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“The most important factor for China-France relations to brave wind and rain and maintain the momentum of development lies in mutual respect,” Wang said, according to the statement. “Both sides should continue to carry forward this tradition and treat each other’s differences with an open and inclusive attitude, and accommodate each other’s legitimate concerns.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian last week called for the EU and the US to “consult each other” to coordinate their approach on China. Photo: Xinhua
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian last week called for the EU and the US to “consult each other” to coordinate their approach on China. Photo: Xinhua
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