Emmanuel Macron heads to China for a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomatic talks as the French president seeks to enlist Beijing in pressuring Russia towards a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Macron will advocate for an agenda of cooperation in economic and trade matters aimed at achieving a balance that ensures “sustainable, solid growth that benefits everyone,” his office said.
France is aiming to attract more investment from Chinese companies and facilitate market access for French exports. During the visit, officials from both nations are expected to sign several agreements in the energy, food industry, and aviation sectors.
Macron is committed to defending “fair and reciprocal market access,” his office said.
France will host the Group of Seven summit in 2026 involving the world’s most advanced economies, while China will chair the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, which includes the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Russia.
The 27-nation bloc runs a massive trade deficit with China – over €300bil last year. China alone represents 46% of France’s total trade deficit.
Macron’s talks with President Xi Jinping will also address Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly following a meeting Monday in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss potential terms for a ceasefire.
“What we want... is that China can convince and influence Russia to move towards a ceasefire as quickly as possible and consolidate that ceasefire through negotiations which, in our view, should lead to solid security guarantees for Ukraine,” a French top diplomatic official said.
Paris expects Beijing to “refrain from providing Russia with any means whatsoever to continue the war,” the official said, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidency customary practices.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last week that Beijing believes in “dialogue and negotiation” to resolve the Ukraine war and supports “all efforts” leading to peace.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, China “has played a constructive role in promoting a political resolution of the crisis,” she said.
Macron, who will be accompanied by his wife, Brigitte, was scheduled to arrive in Beijing yesterday evening. — AP
