Macron says France should not get caught up in an escalation between the U.S. and China, following the leader’s three-day trip to the Asian nation

French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his comments about Taiwan.

Macron says France should not get caught up in an escalation between the U.S. and China.

He made the comments in an interview over the weekend following his three-day state visit to Beijing.

He added that being a U.S. ally did not mean being a “vassal”.

Macron has copped criticism from politicians and other public figures.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Macron of cozying up to China as Paris supports the One China Policy.

“Being an ally does not mean being a vassal. Doesn’t mean that we don’t have the right to think for ourselves,” Mr Macron said at a press conference in the Netherlands during his two-day visit.

The French president also said that nothing had changed in France’s support for the “status quo” in Taiwan and that Paris “supports the One China policy and the search for a peaceful resolution to the situation”.