On the occasion of the two-day official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron called, Monday, during a first meeting in Paris, for “coordination” with Beijing on the “major crises” in Ukraine and in the Middle-East. He also spoke of “fair rules for all” in trade between Europe and China.
Published on: 06/05/2024 – 12:32 Modified on: 06/05/2024 – 18:59
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Ukraine, the Middle East and trade… President Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping discussed numerous issues during the first day of the Chinese leader’s official visit to France, Monday May 6. Here’s what you need to remember.
Also read: Xi Jinping’s visit to France: “The relationship between France and China has deteriorated”
A call for a “world truce” for the Olympics
China has supported the idea of a global Olympic truce during the Paris Games, which run from July 26 to August 11, the first day of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to France,
Energy, finance, transport: several contracts signed during Xi’s visit to France
Several commercial contracts between French and Chinese companies have been signed, particularly in energy, transport and finance, the Élysée announced.
Among the announcements is a contract for Suez to build a factory intended to produce energy from sludge from around fifty wastewater treatment plants in southern China, for nearly 100 million euros. The railway manufacturer Alstom has also obtained contracts to supply electric traction systems for metro lines in Beijing, Wuhan and Hefei.
On the financial side, the insurer Groupama will create a joint venture with Shudao Group “on green finance”. Other commercial contracts announced are at less committed stages, for example between Schneider Electric and electric vehicle charging points with a view to creating a joint venture, or between Crédit Agricole and Bank of China for ” facilitate their joint operations.
China pledges to “refrain from selling any weapons” to Moscow
Emmanuel Macron welcomed “Chinese commitments “to refrain from selling any weapons” and “any aid to Moscow”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, for his part, called not to “sully” his country on the Ukrainian issue, Beijing playing, according to him, a “positive role” in finding a peaceful solution to the war. “We oppose the use of the Ukrainian crisis to blame others, smear a third country and trigger a new Cold War,” said Xi Jinping in reference to recurring Western criticism of the China-Russia relationship. .
Continuation of the visit to the Pyrenees
Arriving in France on Sunday for a two-day state visit, the Chinese president is coming to celebrate 60 years of Franco-Chinese diplomatic relations.
The two heads of state will travel to the Pyrenees on Tuesday for a more personal getaway, accompanied by their wives.
Also read: Xi Jinping in France: Chinese diplomacy of the “personal touch”
The objective of this lunch on the Col du Tourmalet – where, as a child, Emmanuel Macron spent his holidays with his grandmother – is eminently diplomatic: to break the imposing protocol to establish a more direct dialogue, particularly on Ukraine.
On the sensitive issue of human rights, Emmanuel Macron says he prefers to discuss “disagreements” rather “behind closed doors”. Paris also did not want to make the Taiwan issue a priority, even though it is at the heart of the strong tensions between the United States and China.
With AFP
