French President Emmanuel Macron has urged a “new positive alliance” among European and Asian countries to protect global peace, security, and prosperity in the face of rising tensions between the US and China. Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, Macron said the world is most threatened by increasing rivalry between the two world superpowers.
He contended that countries must not be compelled to take sides in this geopolitics confrontation, threatening to destroy the post-World War II international order. “We need new ways of cooperating to preserve peace and stability,” Macron emphasized, noting that the world is witnessing an increase in coercive powers such as Russia and North Korea attempting to exercise control by force and influence.
Reiterating France’s partnership with the US, Macron stressed independence, asserting that Europe cannot be held hostage to the will of any one global player. Former President Trump’s “fair” calls for Europe to take greater defense responsibilities were acknowledged by Macron, but he asserted that the continent has to be more decisive on its own now.
Macron also berated Western credibility, pointing to the long-running conflict in Ukraine and double standards over Israeli military intervention in Gaza. “If we are not consistent, we lose our moral power,” he told reporters. His comments provoked Israeli officials, who accused Macron of embarking on a “crusade” against the Jewish state.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, a premier international security talk, saw sparse Chinese attendance this year, no defense minister among them. The absence came as eyebrows were raised in the face of deteriorating US-China relations after Trump’s return to power. Despite that, Macron’s address brought attention to an immediate need for middle powers to unite, independent of superpower influence, to construct a more stable, multipolar world.
