In France, too, the visit of the elected American Nancy Pelosi caused a stir. Jean-Luc Mélenchon described this trip as a “provocation” in his blog on Wednesday 3 August. There “is only one China,” he wrote. “Taiwan is an integral part of China,” he added, using a term defended by the Beijing regime but rejected by Taipei authorities.
The Chinese embassy in France thanked Jean-Luc Mélenchon “for his constant support of the One China policy” on Thursday evening.
Many Thanks @JLMelenchon for his constant support of the One China Policy#PelosiVisit #Taiwan #OneChinaPolicy pic.twitter.com/hE13obj8vQ
— Chinese Embassy in France (@AmbassadeChine) August 4, 2022
The position of the rebellious ex-presidential candidate is split within the New People’s Ecological and Social Union. LFI deputy Manuel Bompard agrees, believing that Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan “put fuel on the fire”. Manuel Bompard argues that “international law today defends the concept of the so-called ‘one China'”. “There is enough disorder at international level not to add anything,” stressed Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s right arm.
Olivier Faure, chairman of the PS, has distanced himself. He finds this step “questionable”, but defends “the will of the Taiwanese to live in a democracy”. Julien Bayou, national secretary of the EELV, criticized Jean-Luc Mélenchon more openly on Friday, considering that for the rebellious leader “a democratic country is necessarily a ‘provocation’ for a dictatorship”.
Mélenchon spoke of “provocation” when democratic Ukraine in Donbass defended itself against authoritarian Russia.
And speaks of “provocation”. #Taiwan if… this country acts freely against China.
A democratic country is necessarily a “provocation” to a dictatorship.— Julien Bayou (@julienbayou) August 5, 2022
“We have the allies we deserve,” the Renaissance MP quipped Nathalie Loiseau on Twitter. “Following his support for the authoritarian regime of Maduro in Venezuela, Jean-Luc Mélenchon is now improvising as ambassador of the Republic of China,” commented the deputy LR Eric Ciotti on the same social network.