France's finance minister supports Macron's approach on US-China relations.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has declared that French President Emmanuel Macron is "absolutely right" to demand European independence and sovereignty from Washington's confrontational policies on China. During a trip to China last week, Macron insisted that Europe must avoid "taking our cue from the US agenda" and stay neutral on the issue of Taiwan. During his visit, seven major French companies, including Airbus, energy firm EDF, and shipbuilder CMA-CGM, signed or extended contracts with Chinese firms. Macron has also talked extensively of lessening Europe's reliance on the US, particularly in the realm of defense, but his attempts to position himself as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia have been ineffectual. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that France is "directly and indirectly" involved on the side of Ukraine.