Macron calls for Europe to value respect rather than bullying and for Chinese investment to be introduced in key sectors.
```
Under the spotlight of the World Economic Forum in Davos, French President Macron delivered a speech that was full of gunpowder but also practical in tone. Faced with intensifying trade threats across the Atlantic, Macron chose a clear strategic path: responding strongly on the political front to Trump’s “bullying diplomacy,” while reaching out economically to China.
On Tuesday, French President Macron delivered a tough speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Amid escalating tensions with Trump, he called on Europe to deploy all available tools to protect its own interests and made it clear: “We prefer respect to bullying.”
In his speech, Macron condemned American competition aimed at “making Europe subordinate,” while emphasizing that Europe must address key issues to drive innovation and private investment. He stated:
“This is not an era of new imperialism or new colonialism, but an era of cooperation to solve global challenges,” and reaffirmed, “We prefer the rule of law over violence.”
According to CCTV News, Macron stated at the World Economic Forum on the 20th that the current international order is facing severe challenges, with some countries attempting to reshape international rules through force. He called on the international community to uphold the principle of sovereign equality and multilateral cooperation and to oppose the logic of might-makes-right.
This speech came as Trump publicly disclosed Macron’s private information, revealing the French President’s confusion over the Greenland issue, and proposing to hold a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday that would include Russian representatives. According to Xinhua News Agency, on the 19th, after learning that President Macron had no intention of joining the US-led so-called “peace committee” to oversee post-war transition in Gaza, Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne.
“To Remain Free, One Must Be Feared”
The conflict between Macron and Trump over the Greenland issue occurred after the French President recently vowed to strengthen France’s military presence on the Arctic island. Currently, about 15 French soldiers are deployed in Nuuk for exercises, with land, air, and naval assets being reinforced.
Last week, speaking to the armed forces at Istres Air Base, Macron announced that 2026 would be a challenging year for French defense and confirmed plans to increase military spending by 36 billion euros between 2026 and 2030.
In his speech, Macron stated:
“To remain free, one must be feared; to be feared, one must be strong. To be strong in this brutal world, we must act faster and more forcefully.”
Macron also implicitly criticized Trump’s view of global conflicts, saying that although “some people say war has been resolved,” the reality is that 2025 is still plagued by dozens of wars.
After Macron’s speech on Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to deliver a special address on Wednesday, which is expected to dominate the five-day forum running through Friday. It is unclear whether Macron will remain in Davos for a potential meeting with Trump; a source close to the French president did not rule out the possibility of participating in Wednesday’s Ukraine discussions.
At a press conference before Macron’s speech, French officials explicitly criticized Trump’s tariff policies, saying France does not view tariffs as a solution to global problems or economic imbalances, and described such coercive trade practices as anti-cooperative and fundamentally flawed.
According to CCTV News, faced with the threat of US tariffs, French President Macron stated that he would, if necessary, request the EU to launch anti-coercion tools on France’s behalf. This is France’s first official response to the US government’s tariff threat.
“China Is Welcome; We Need More Direct Investment”
Macron stated at the Davos Forum:
“China is welcome, but what we need is more Chinese foreign direct investment in some key sectors in Europe to promote our growth.”
The French President stressed that such investment should involve technology transfer, not just exporting “some equipment or products, whose standards are sometimes different or are more heavily subsidized than products made in Europe.”
This statement was made about a month after Macron visited Beijing. In December last year, while attending the France-China Business Council meeting, Macron called for “mutually beneficial projects” in areas where he acknowledged China’s technological strengths and urged Chinese companies to play a role in Europe’s development. These areas include industries such as batteries, electric vehicles, and solar panels, where China’s technological advantage is widening.
Defending European Manufacturing: 75% Local Content Rate and 2035 Ban
While calling for foreign investment, Macron has not relaxed his protection of local industry. He reiterated the “Europe First” position, especially in the field of electric vehicles.
Macron explicitly proposed that, in order to protect Europe’s production base, all vehicles sold in Europe should contain at least 75% locally sourced parts—a standard that currently only applies to traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.
In addition, on the controversial “2035 ban on fuel vehicles,” Macron’s attitude is resolute. Despite opposition from some EU countries, he warned: “If we abandon the 2035 target, then forget about European battery factories.”
In his view, only by insisting on radical environmental goals can the survival and development of Europe’s battery industry (such as Stellantis, Total, and Mercedes-Benz’s joint ACC gigafactory) be forced forward, and bringing in Chinese battery technologies and factories (like Envision AESC’s factory in Douai) is the key piece in realizing this grand industrial blueprint.
Risk Warning and DisclaimerThe market has risks; investment needs caution. This article does not constitute individual investment advice, nor does it take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular user. Users should consider whether any opinions, perspectives, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their own situation. Investing accordingly is at your own risk.
```