Macron’s vision of integration and Balikatan Exercise 2023

Macron’s interviews are sending shockwaves not only across Europe but as far as North America

Whosoever is interested in International Relations, Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy knows that over 70% terms of diplomatic discourse are borrowed from the French language because France had been a school of diplomacy in the contemporary world.

Within Europe, the French are considered “more organized to achieve economic interests through diplomacy” so French President Emmanuel Macron is not an exception who is offering a new insight to Europeans when war is already knocking at their doors. What world has achieved from a year of bombing on Ukraine is a serious question for everybody. Macron’s recent visits to China and the Netherlands endorses that the French are genetically futuristic and bold in reading what is written on the wall of history.

Macron’s interviews with Les Echos and Politico are sending shockwaves not only across Europe but as far as North America. European media says his views that EU should be more independent in its dealings with China may have caused upset, as he renewed his call for greater ‘European sovereignty’. When many Eastern European and Central European countries put Taiwan’s issue at centre stage, Macron believes otherwise.

Answering questions from Les Echos on April 7, 2023, Macron was of the view that Europeans should not get involved in such issues as Taiwan. He highlighted that European relations with the outside world should be based on five pillars: competitiveness, industrial policy, protectionism, reciprocity and cooperation. Whosoever is following European media understands that Europe at large (and France in particular) is trying to set up a new economic doctrine that can allow Europeans to resolve the jobs crisis, protecting the European social model and being more sovereign. In these circumstances, Macron’s idea of avoiding wars and not playing second fiddle of the US has been well-received.

Regional experts are already insisting that Europe is going through a critical period when the Ukraine situation is hitting the economy and the worst thing would be to keep taking cues from the US agenda that is hampering its relations with China due to the Indo-Pacific situation and a Chinese overreaction to the situation.

European foreign affairs experts understand that the biggest-ever annual US joint military exercises in South China Sea would definitely increase the US-China tension as ‘Balikatan Exercise 2023’ has brought together 17,680 troops — an estimated 12,000 Americans, 5,000 Filipinos and more than 100 Australians — to participate in live-fire drills and other activities until April 28. The Chinese Embassy in Manila sees the situation as the US “ganging up with its allies from other parts of the world to flex muscle”. European experts in international relations believe that this game of flexing muscle can anytime draw Europe into the equation if a better strategy is not evolved within Europe.

I have been writing in the past that awaking against wars that brought a massive exodus of immigrants to Europe is a reality and Covid-19 was another big blow. The entire Europe was completely shut. The Ukraine war is causing double-digit inflation and the direct hit is energy and edibles. Middle Eastern wars and Ukraine’s situation are enough to shake everybody living in Europe. In these circumstances creating a war-like situation with China would be a serious blow because in 2022, China was the third largest partner for EU exports of goods (9%) and the largest partner for EU imports of goods (20.8%). Small and medium businesses like kiosks and makeshift shops have over 70% dependence on Chinese goods in their sales. Russian monopoly over the energy market has already shaken the economy of the common man and turbulence in trade with China would be another serious setback.

Thus Europe needs to reduce dependence if it wants to preserve its identity but it would take time and any adventurism would be disastrous. Thus, Macron’s message for choosing partners and shaping European destiny, instead of being mere witness to the dramatic evolution of this world, is appreciated.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2023.

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