French President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, where he tried to pressure Xi to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine and discussed trade relations, UNN reports with reference to AFP.
Details
Macron told Xi Jinping that France and China must overcome their "differences" during the meeting of the two leaders in Beijing on Thursday.
"Sometimes there are differences, but it is our duty to overcome them for the common good," Macron told Xi during the meeting.
The Chinese leader echoed Macron's words, calling for "more stable" ties with France during their talks at the Great Hall of the People.
Xi said that China is ready to cooperate with France "to exclude any interference" and "to make the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France more stable."
Macron and his wife Brigitte were solemnly greeted by Xi and First Lady Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People, where the ceremony was moved indoors due to cold weather.
Macron blew air kisses to children holding flowers, and an orchestra played the national anthems of both countries.
The issue of the war in Ukraine
The main item on Macron's agenda during his three-day visit to China is the issue of Ukraine and the role Beijing can play in securing a ceasefire.
We must continue to work towards achieving peace and stability in the world, as well as in Ukraine and other war-affected regions. Our ability to work together is crucial
"Macron tried to pressure Xi to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine," as Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine drags into its fourth winter, the publication writes.
China regularly calls for peace talks and respect for the territorial integrity of all countries, but has never condemned Russia for its 2022 invasion.
Western governments accuse Beijing of providing crucial economic support to Russia's war effort, including supplying it with military components for its defense industry.
Macron's three-day visit to Beijing follows a trip to Paris by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called on Europe to support Kyiv, as US President Donald Trump promotes a plan to end the war.
"We share the view that the war must be brought to a just end," Zelenskyy wrote on social media after Monday's talks with Macron, which also included phone calls with other European leaders.
Trade relations
The French president also called for a rebalancing of trade ties and urged Xi to cooperate with G7 countries on rules-based economic governance.
Macron, who is visiting China for the fourth time since taking office in 2017, is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Li Qiang before heading to Chengdu, where two giant pandas given to France were recently returned.
Macron is expected to discuss trade with his Chinese hosts, as the European Union faces a huge trade deficit of $357 billion with the Asian nation.
"China needs to consume more and export less... and Europeans need to save less and produce more," a Macron adviser said.
Macron previously called on the European Union to reduce its dependence on China and provide a "European advantage" in the technology sector.
Last month, he told a European summit of leaders and technology company ministers from across the continent that the bloc did not want to be a "vassal" of American and Chinese technology companies.
The French president will remain in China until Friday, with a final stop in Chengdu, in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
Last week, two giant pandas given to France by China were flown to their ancestral home to retire in a city animal sanctuary.
The Chinese embassy promised that new bears would be sent soon to compensate for the departure of the popular pair.
The visit to Chengdu is "quite exceptional in Chinese protocol," the French presidential council said, adding that Macron "appreciates it as such."
During his last trip to China, the French president was greeted like a rock star at a university in the southern city of Guangzhou, where students chanted his name, took selfies, and gave high-fives.