While demonstrators in France are ready to string up Emmanuel Macron on the pension “reform,” he received VIP treatment on his April 5-6 state visit to China. While he traveled there together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which has some symbolic significance, the visits of the two were handled quite differently by the Chinese. Von der Leyen met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and had a trilateral meeting with Xi and Macron, in which Xi diplomatically admonished her that the new concept of “de-risking” must not lead to “decoupling” between the EU and China. Xi also met separately with von der Leyen and discussed the China-EU relationship, warning that playing up the so-called “democracy vs authoritarianism” narrative and “stoking a new Cold War will only bring division and confrontation to the world.” He said that the two sides should maintain open trade relations, and again underlined the importance of the Taiwan issue. While von der Leyen pushed the line that Xi could get Putin to “come to his senses” and withdraw from Ukraine, Xi also made clear, according to French sources, that it was not “his war.” Otherwise her visit was treated with great respect and with some good things said on both sides about maintaining China-EU ties.
Concerning their trilateral meeting, Xi said it “demonstrated the positive desire of the European Union to grow relations with China and advance the common interests of China and the EU. China and the EU need to stay committed to dialogue and cooperation, uphold world peace and stability, foster common development and prosperity, promote human progress, and address global challenges together. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. China is prepared to work with the EU to set the right direction and tone for China-EU ties, fully resume exchanges at all levels and revitalize mutually-beneficial cooperation in various fields, thus injecting fresh impetus into China-EU relations and global peace, stability and prosperity.”
Macron as a head of state, in contrast, was “shown the red carpet.” He had several meetings and dinners with President Xi and the two held an unprecedented joint press conference after their Beijing meeting. Macron then traveled to Guangzhou, a sister city of Lyon in France, where he gave a speech to students at Sun Yat Sen University, with crowds of students lining the streets to greet him. President Xi, on the last day of Macron’s visit today, made the unusual gesture of traveling to Guangzhou to again have dinner and a less formal no-tie meeting with Macron before he left the country.
Macron had brought with him a business delegation of 50-strong, including representatives of Airbus, luxury giant LVMH, and nuclear energy producer EDF. They also signed a series of agreements to deepen cooperation in areas such as aviation, aerospace, and civilian nuclear energy, and to cultivate new growth drivers in cooperation, such as scientific and technological innovation and green development. It included building a China-France carbon neutrality center and strengthening joint training of talent, Xinhua reported.
At China’s invitation, France will be a guest of honor at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services and the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE). Airbus will open its second production center in China, and China has extensive cooperation in the nuclear field, including a research center near Guangzhou in Zhuhai. The French also are working with China in aerospace, including a new satellite which will be used in astronomical research to study gamma ray bursts. In their joint statement, the nations also agreed to begin cooperation between their two militaries.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the fifth meeting of the China-France Business Council on April 6, President Xi Jinping said that China-France economic and trade cooperation has not only boosted the economic growth of the two countries and improved people’s well-being, but also boosted confidence and stabilized expectations for the world’s economic recovery, Xinhua reported.
Global Times reported that Xi noted Macron’s visit is the first by a European head of state after the full resumption of China’s exchanges with the world and the successful conclusion of China’s “two sessions.” The visit will inject new momentum and bring new vitality to China-Europe relations. China supports Europe in achieving strategic autonomy, upholds that the China-Europe relationship is not targeted at, subjugated to, or controlled by any third party, and believes that Europe will take an independent approach to developing its relations with China, Xi said.
During his talks with Macron, Xi reaffirmed China’s commitment to facilitating peace talks and political settlement to the Ukraine crisis, and said China stands ready to issue a joint call with France to the international community to stay rational, exercise restraint, and avoid taking actions that might cause the crisis to further deteriorate or even spiral out of control. He also called for restarting peaceful talks as soon as possible and seeking a political settlement of the crisis. (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202304/t20230406_11055553.html)
