French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday stood through his arguable remarks on Taiwan, pronouncing that being a US best friend did now no longer imply being a “vassal”. Macron, wrapping up a country go to to the Netherlands all through which he has additionally confronted protests over pension reforms, stated France nevertheless sponsored the “reputation quo” on Taiwan.

But the French chief regarded to paste through feedback in an interview on the weekend, wherein he stated Europe must now no longer be a “follower” of both Washington or Beijing or get stuck up in any escalation.

“Being an best friend does now no longer imply being a vassal… doesn`t imply that we do not have the proper to assume for ourselves,” Macron informed a press convention in Amsterdam with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Macron, who visited China ultimate week, stated French and European coverage on Taiwan “has now no longer changed” notwithstanding the furore over his feedback to Politico and Les Echos wherein he sponsored Europe’s strategic autonomy. “France is for the reputation quo in Taiwan” and a “non violent decision to the situation,” he added.

‘Honour of the employees’

The first country go to to the Netherlands through a French president in 23 years changed into packed with pomp consisting of a ship ride on one in all Amsterdam’s scenic canals and a dinner withinside the capital’s famed Rijksmuseum. But the 2-day live to sell ties among the 2 key EU contributors has now no longer stopped Macron from dealing with stress on a sequence of each home and overseas issues.

Macron’s weekend interview on Taiwan drew reward as “brilliant” in China — which rejects US guide of what it sees as a breakaway province — however raised eyebrows amongst Western allies. US president Donald Trump stated that “Macron, who is a chum of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass.”

Macron spoke back that he had “not anything to mention approximately the remarks through former president Trump due to the fact he’s taking element on this escalation”. Dutch most effective Rutte stated he agreed with Macron that Europe “need to be a participant and now no longer a gambling field”, however insisted that Washington remained an “vital associate in terms of safety and freedom”.

Rutte in the meantime stated of the protests concentrated on Macron that “we’re the hosts so that you do not need that”. Police arrested demonstrators who ran toward the French president out of doors Amsterdam college in an obvious protest in opposition to France growing the pension age from sixty two to 64.

“For the respect of the employees and a higher world — despite the fact that Macron does not like it, we’re here,” one protester chanted, the use of the phrases of a French protest song, as he changed into pinned down through numerous safety officers in Amsterdam. Around forty humans protested while Macron left the college’s technological know-how faculty, in an occasion to sell the signing of a “percent for innovation” among France and the Netherlands.

‘Accept controversy’

The arrests got here an afternoon after protesters heckled Macron all through a speech on European sovereignty in The Hague on Tuesday. Macron later stated reforms unavoidably induced protests, bringing up current rallies through Dutch farmers in opposition to environmental plans.

“We need to now and again take delivery of controversy, and we need to try and construct a route for the future,” he informed an target target market of French humans dwelling withinside the Netherlands. Ahead of a pinnacle courtroom docket ruling at the pensions reforms on Friday and clean moves on Thursday, Macron informed the click convention he desired to paintings with unions and discover a answer regardless of the decision.

Macron’s go to wrapped up Wednesday with a go to to an exhibition of works through painter Johannes Vermeer at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, and a dinner withinside the corridor wherein Rembrandt’s “Night Watch” is on display. Earlier, Macron’s spouse Brigitte and Dutch Queen Maxima toured the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, wherein the tragic teenage Jewish diarist concealed from the Nazis all through World War II.