On Wednesday 3 December, he arrived in China with a three-day state visit by French president Emmanuel Macron. The French media emphasise that the main subject of the French-Chinese talks will be trade and diplomatic talks. According to French sources, the French president seeks to affect Beijing in exerting force on Russia to conclude a ceasefire with Ukraine. However, the fact that Macron is accompanied by a delegation of more than 80 people, including nearly 40 general directors from various sectors, from energy to aviation, confirms that the main intent of the visit is to strengthen the economical relations of France and China.
President Macron and his wife were greeted at Beijing Airport by Chief of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi.
The next point of the visit is simply a gathering with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping not only welcomes Emmanuel Macron in the solemn setting of the large People's Hall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, but will besides accompany his French counterpart during the full visit on 3-5 December. The plan is simply a joint journey of both presidents to Chengdu, where little formal meetings and talks will take place.
The French presidential couple in the large People's Hall will besides be welcomed by the most crucial members of the Chinese government, with Prime Minister Li Qiang in the lead.
Macron, has held a 4th state visit to China since taking office in 2017.
According to the French side, 1 of the topics of the talks will be efforts to end the war in Ukraine for almost 4 years.
"We are counting on China, which, like us, is simply a permanent associate of the safety Council... to put force on Russia, so that Russia, and especially [the president of Russia] Vladimir Putin, yet agree to a ceasefire. China can play a key function in prompting Russia Vladimir Putin to make the right decision," said French abroad Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Monday.
Macron appealed for the same during his last visit to China in April 2023, as well as during Xi's visit to France in May 2024, but without much success.
China regularly calls for peace talks and respect for the territorial integrity of all countries.
Macro's three-day visit follows the visit of the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski in Paris.
Zelenski called on Europe to support Kiev in a situation erstwhile U.S. president Donald Trump is pushing for a plan to end the war. European countries are afraid that the Trump-backed proposal can force Kiev to quit on Russian demands, especially concerning territory.
"We share the view that the war must end with a fair solution," Zelenski wrote on X after Monday's talks with Macron, which besides included telephone talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and another European leaders.
According to European media, “Macron is besides expected to discuss trade issues with its Chinese hosts, as the European Union faces a immense trade deficit of $357 billion in relation to the Asian economical power.” But only the heads of French companies were included in the delegation accompanying Macron. And these companies will be the focus of the talks. France needs an alternate in situations of commercial tensions with the US.
Macron, accompanied by Brigitte's wife, will stay in China until Friday, and Chengdu's last halt will be in southwestern Sichuan province.
Last week, 2 pandas borrowed from France by China were transported by plane to their household home to spend their retirement on the reservation. Before the pand-emergers left for China, an authoritative of the Chinese embassy promised that a fresh pair of bears would shortly arrive in France, enjoying an extraordinary popularity among French audiences.
The visit to Chengdu is “enough exceptional in Chinese protocol”, informed the French side and as specified was peculiarly appreciated by president Macron.
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
