Strategic Autonomy: France and Germany Reengage Beijing Amid US-China Tensions
France’s Emmanuel Macron has completed a state visit to China, his fourth as president. At the top of his agenda: the economy and the Russia-Ukraine War. In contrast to Xi Jinping’s one-hour talk in South Korea with US President Donald Trump, the Xi-Macron meeting in Beijing and trip together to Sichuan Province — including a visit to see the pandas — certainly appeared more friendly. What is behind Xi’s charm offensive? And what did Macron accomplish? Meanwhile, the German foreign minister also made a recent trip to Beijing, saying “Freedom, security and prosperity in Germany and Europe are closely linked to China.” In this episode, we discuss EU-China relations, the foreign policies of France and Germany, and what these developments potentially means for peace and security in Europe and the Taiwan Strait. *Recorded on December 10, 2025 at 3pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Chinyeh Chiang Our guests: Tsai Jung-hsiang - National Chung Cheng University Political Science Professor Domingo Yang - National Chengchi University Department of Diplomacy Assistant Professor
