China – French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on the eve of the German leader’s visit to Beijing to rebalance trade relations between Europe and China.
Officials in Macron’s office said that the two European leaders discussed in a video call the impact of the war in Ukraine on European security.
Schulz heads to China this weekend on a sensitive three-day visit at a time when the West is hardening its tone towards Beijing, whether with regard to its trade practices or its proximity to Moscow.
In their call, Macron and Schulz also stressed the need to “stimulate European competitiveness.”
Macron’s office said the two leaders reaffirmed their “steadfast and long-term support for Ukraine” and “discussed European initiatives to provide military support to Ukraine.”
The French President’s visit to Ukraine has been expected for several weeks, but he said that he would only make the trip when he had something tangible in his possession.
Macron and Schulz will meet face to face in a joint French-German meeting on May 28 in Meseberg near Berlin, which will coincide with a state visit to Germany by the French President.
Despite the thorny issues, the German Chancellor intends to focus specifically on “business” in his second visit since assuming office in late 2021 to China, which is Germany’s largest trading partner.
The discussions are expected to be difficult, while the European Union is engaged in a tug of war with China, accusing it of destabilizing the European market by flooding it with low-cost products.
Source: AFP
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2024-04-13 10:10:06
