“We must build our own power. We´re US allies, but we do not necessarily have the same economic, financial and geopolitical strategies,” Le Maire said in statements to Europe 1 radio station.

According to Le Maire, just because we’re US allies doesn’t mean we should be against China.

The finance minister’s comments come after Macron’s visit to China with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, during which he sought to delineate a difference in relations compared with the US’s tougher approach to Beijing.

Europe is looking to strike a balance by engaging with China on trade and investment while demanding respect for human rights and territorial sovereignty for Ukraine, among other issues.

“We are choosing the path of dialog,” Le Maire said. “Isn’t that better than a logic of confrontation and acceleration of any conflict?”

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