French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for a “single world order” in place of the power struggle between the US and China. 

Macron spoke at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Thailand, an economic forum with 21 member economies, including Canada.

“Are you on the US or the Chinese side?” Macron asked. “Because now, progressively, a lot of people would like to see that there are two orders in this world.”

“This is a huge mistake — even for both the US and China. We need a single global order.” 

By calling for a single world order, Macron promoted geopolitical stability to promote economic growth in APEC countries. 

He said the US and China are two elephants in a jungle. If they become nervous and start a war, it will be a problem “for the rest of the jungle,” he said. 

“So, how does that look? And do any of these leaders actually believe China will concede to anyone at this point?” he asked. 

“China is in the driver’s seat, and they know it.” 

The APEC summit met in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, the summit concluded with a 23-point leaders’ declaration.

The declaration reflected the need for “the interoperability of vaccination certificates and ensuring the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is inclusive.”

Similarly, the G20 countries called for a WHO-facilitated global health passport following an intergovernmental forum hosted by Indonesia last week.

Another declaration point said there’s a need “to ensure extensive immunisation of our people against COVID-19 as a global public good.” 

“We should continue our efforts to improve digital solutions and access to health services, and strengthen health systems with a view to achieving universal health coverage.”

Macron was slapped in the face by a protester on Sunday. In a viral video, Macron is seen walking towards a woman who slaps him and is then tackled by his security.