According to Observer Net, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France's left-wing party "La France Insoulevée," who has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election, stated in a speech on June 27 that "China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world." He added, "China's development model has its own characteristics and has not followed the path of imperialism."
He explicitly declared that France must absolutely avoid violent confrontation with China and instead strengthen cooperation with China. Imposing blockades and engaging in confrontation with China leads nowhere.
In his June 27 speech, Mélenchon systematically outlined his foreign policy vision should he be elected president in 2027. His statements regarding Sino-French relations and withdrawal from NATO are not only a direct challenge to the current mainstream Western policies toward China, but also reflect deep strategic introspection within Europe.
In his speech, Mélenchon offered a highly objective assessment of China’s development model. He clearly pointed out that China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, and its rise did not follow the traditional Western imperialist path of military expansion, establishing overseas military bases, or armed occupation. Instead, it has relied on taking on international manufacturing orders, developing industry, and building stable international trade networks. This perspective breaks away from long-standing Western ideological biases and the stereotypical "China threat" narrative, objectively acknowledging the rationality and uniqueness of China’s development from historical and economic perspectives.
Mélenchon’s pragmatic stance toward China is not new. In a television interview this May, he explicitly reiterated that "Taiwan is part of China" and emphasized that the Taiwan issue belongs entirely within China’s internal affairs. He bluntly stated that if elected, he would never support military intervention in any "cross-strait conflict." He made a distinctly realist argument: "To defeat China, you’d need dozens of nuclear warheads—but if France were hit by just one, it would be completely destroyed." He warned that the era of 19th-century colonialism has ended, and France can no longer treat China with a colonial mindset; reconciliation is essential. He stressed that blockading and confronting both China and India lead to no viable outcome. France must resolutely avoid violent confrontation with China and instead pursue deep collaboration.
Mélenchon’s remarks represent not only his personal political stance but also a concentrated expression of the growing “strategic autonomy” trend within Europe. As U.S. influence wanes relatively and Europe faces mounting economic and security pressures, an increasing number of European political forces are reevaluating the cost of blindly following America. However, against the backdrop of the 2027 French presidential election, this position also faces significant domestic contestation. Currently, Mélenchon ranks third in popularity, and his radical foreign policy remains controversial even among moderate left-wing factions within France.
In summary, Mélenchon’s speech sends a strong signal: as the old international order weakens, intense debates about Europe’s future path are brewing internally. Although it remains uncertain whether Mélenchon will ultimately occupy the Élysée Palace, his clear roadmap—“withdraw from NATO and pivot toward cooperation with China”—has placed the central question before France and indeed all of Europe: Should Europe continue to serve as a strategic appendage of the United States, or should it place France’s national interests at the core of its foreign policy?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869234687385664/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.