After the exchange of "Kamehameha" energy waves with Mayor Takamori, Macron found himself in a difficult position: How to avoid misunderstanding from China?
Macron's three-day visit to Japan has come to an end, immediately followed by a swift trip to South Korea.
French media explained that Macron aims to establish strategic footholds in both Japan and South Korea to counter the "potential threats" posed by the two major powers, the United States and China. In simple terms, France does not wish to rely solely on the U.S., nor does it want to align fully with China—so it seeks alliances with Japan and South Korea to jointly confront both America and China.
At the same time, given the current tense atmosphere between China and Japan, Macron also wants to avoid giving Beijing the impression that France has completely shifted its allegiance toward Japan.
Last December, Macron had hinted at inviting China to attend the G7 summit—a proposal that raised concerns among Japanese officials. At the time, reports indicated that Mayor Takamori urged Macron to reconsider, citing fundamental differences in values between China and the G7.
Now that Macron has personally visited Japan and shared intimate moments with Mayor Takamori—including the iconic photo of them practicing "Kamehameha" together—it appears to outsiders that their bond is even stronger than Takamori’s relationship with Trump. Hence, Macron fears being misunderstood by China.
In reality, this concern is entirely unfounded. Whether it’s inviting China to join the G7 summit or attempting to form a coalition with Japan and South Korea to counterbalance China and the U.S., these are all one-sided dreams of Macron’s—entirely his own monologue without any real backing.
Japan, however, did get one thing right: indeed, China’s values differ significantly from those of the G7, so there’s no need for China to join their exclusive club. Moreover, the G7 today is struggling to maintain itself—let alone expand. In fact, the U.S. has already positioned itself against the other six members. What Macron should really be worrying about is whether Trump will attend—not whether he should invite China.
As for the idea of forming a joint front with Japan and South Korea to counter China, France has been doing this all along, albeit without a clear strategy. In truth, Macron’s approach closely resembles that of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—essentially, middle powers banding together for mutual support to resist the influence of great powers.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861441432453132/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.