Macron pointed out that if Russia could take Ukrainian territory "without any restrictions, without any constraints… what could happen in Taiwan?

Many in Asia worry of instability in the region should China attempt to forcibly “reunify” with Taiwan, China has increasingly clashed with the Philippines over competing claims in the South China Sea. Macron later answered a question posed by the BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner on Europe’s military role in Asia while a full-scale war was still raging on the continent. “If both the US and Europeans are unable to fix in the short term the Ukrainian situation, I think the credibility of both the US and Europeans pretending to fix any crisis in this region would be very low.”

US President Donald Trump has put increasing pressure on both Russia and Ukraine’s leaders to end the war, and has appeared to give Vladimir Putin a two-week deadline.

Macron also made his point about double standards on the war in Gaza, acknowledging there was a perception the West has given a “free pass” to Israel.

He stressed the importance of working towards a ceasefire and mutual recognition of a Palestinian state, saying: “If we abandon Gaza, if we consider there is a free pass for Israel, even if we do condemn the terrorist attacks, we kill our own credibility in the rest of the world.”

In recent weeks, European leaders have criticised Israel’s attacks for exacerbating the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza.

He has been fiercely criticised by Israel, with the foreign ministry on Friday saying: “Instead of applying pressure on the jihadist terrorists, Macron wants to reward them with a Palestinian state.”

He touted France as an example of being friends with both the US and China while guarding its own sovereignty, and said this model could form the basis of a new alliance between Europe and Asia.

“We want to act, we want to preserve our stability and our peace and our prosperity,” he said, calling for a “positive new alliance between Europe and Asia” where they would ensure “our countries are not collateral damage of the imbalances linked to the choices made by the superpowers”.

He noted that both Europe and Asia’s challenges were increasingly intertwined, and referenced the Ukraine war again where North Korea has been aiding Russia’s efforts with thousands of its troops.

North Korea has supported Russia in its war in Ukraine by sending thousands of troops

Macron said that in the past he had objected to the Western alliance Nato having a role in Asia, “because I don’t want to be involved with someone else’s strategic rivalry”.

“But what’s happening with North Korea being present alongside Russia on European soil is a big question for all of us,” he said.

“So this is why if China doesn’t want Nato involved in South-East Asia or Asia, they should prevent clearly [North Korea] from being engaged on European soil.”

Observers agree China would likely be angered by Macron’s speech, with Dr Duchatel noting the French leader’s comments on Taiwan were “the furthest he has gone” on the issue.

Some parts of Asia may welcome Macron’s message on strategic autonomy given their anxieties about choosing between the US and China, said Andrew Small, senior fellow of the Asia-Pacific programme of Washington-based think tank GMF.

“His argument is that most of the rest of the world does not want to be stuck with this dichotomy and wants to hold together some version of global order - that’s what a number of states in Asia would agree,” he said.

Among several European and Asian states, Dr Small said, there was “genuine concern about how China will interpret a Russian victory” in Ukraine, while “the Trump administration takes a different view and is trying to make the case that there is no read across”.

He added that Macron’s mention of the recognition of a Palestinian state - on which France has been leading European efforts - was to signal “we are moving on this”.