Macron says Europe must control destiny

France's president wants continent to take more active role in world events

France's President Emmanuel Macron has shared his vision of "European sovereignty" during a two-day state visit to the Netherlands.

In a key address delivered at the Nexus Institute in The Hague on Tuesday, Macron discussed the concept, saying the continent can choose its own partners and "shape its own destiny".

"It means that we must be able to choose our partners and shape our own destiny, rather than being, I would say, a mere witness of the dramatic evolution of this world," he said.

"This means that we must strive to be rule-makers rather than rule-takers" he added, noting that this could be done "in a cooperative manner in keeping with our spirit of openness and partnership", but that Europe would maintain "robust relationships" with its allies.

France's leader said that both the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict meant that Europe needs to "reduce its dependencies" to maintain its identity.

"We can set up a new economic doctrine which will allow us to reconcile creating jobs, financing our social model, dealing with climate change and being more sovereign and deciding for ourselves," he said.

Macron underlined that the concept should be based on five pillars: "competitiveness, industrial policy, protectionism, reciprocity, and cooperation", reported Agence France-Presse.

The president also reiterated his concept of European Union strategic autonomy during the speech, proposing the bloc could become a "third pole" alongside China and the United States.

Speaking to reporters on a flight back from China, after his three-day state visit to Beijing last week, Macron said: "We don't want to get into a bloc versus bloc logic," adding that Europe "should not be caught up in a disordering of the world and crises that aren't ours".

Macron also underlined that any escalation around Taiwan was not in the EU's interest.

"The question asked of us Europeans is the following: is it in our interest for there to be acceleration on the topic of Taiwan? No. The worst thing we Europeans could do would be to be followers on this topic and to adapt to the American rhythm and a Chinese overreaction. Why should we go at a rhythm chosen by someone else?"

In his remarks last week, Macron said he rejected decoupling from China, which is seen by some experts and business people as a signal that France wishes to build up its ties with China and reduce reliance on the United States.

He said he "does not believe "and "in any case does not want to believe" that decoupling from the Chinese economy is already underway, Reuters news agency reported.

Macron also warned Europe must not reduce its trade and diplomatic ties with the world's second-largest economy and needs to avoid what some have cast as an "inescapable spiral" of tensions between Beijing and the West.