TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday (April 12) reaffirmed the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait.

"France is for the status quo in Taiwan" and a "peaceful resolution to the situation," he said at a press conference in Amsterdam.

Macron is facing widespread backlash after he expressed reluctance to get involved in a Taiwan Strait conflict. Speaking to Politico, Macron said, “The question Europeans need to answer … is it in our interest to accelerate [a crisis] on Taiwan? No. The worse (sic) thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction.”

He added that “the great risk” Europe faces is that it “gets caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its strategic autonomy.” He advocated for more “strategic autonomy” for Europe and for France to become a “third superpower.”

Despite international criticism, he doubled down on his previous comments, saying, "Being an ally does not mean being a vassal... doesn't mean that we don't have the right to think for ourselves."

Meanwhile, Taiwan envoy to France Wu Chih-chung (吳志中) on Wednesday said public support for Taiwan in France has been unprecedented. “All of France is discussing Taiwan,” Wu said in a Facebook post, noting that the public is “overwhelmingly supporting Taiwan.”

“Taiwan has never received such strong exposure and support,” he added.

Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said a French parliament delegation is expected to arrive in Taipei on Sunday (April 16), per Bloomberg. France’s Senate and National Assembly have been ardent supporters of Taiwan, he added.