Emmanuel Macron has sought to reassure allies that his policy on China and Taiwan remains unchanged, but diplomats and analysts said his remarks as he returned from Beijing had hampered the European Union’s attempts to forge a coherent approach.

Days after suggesting that the EU should distance itself from Sino-American tensions over Taiwan, Macron used an appearance alongside the Dutch prime minister to insist his policy towards the island had not been altered and that he was working to “preserve EU unity with respect to China”.

His comments came as French diplomats were in their fourth day of damage control after Macron’s interview with Les Echos and Politico in which he said it would be a “trap for Europe” if it got “caught up in crises that are not ours”,  in reference to the brewing tensions between the US and China.