During the meeting between the Chinese and French leaders, Macron urged Xi Jinping to call for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

(Deutsche Welle Chinese) French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday (December 3) and was greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Chinese President Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. The two sides then held talks and signed 12 cooperation agreements covering topics such as population aging, bilateral investment, nuclear energy, and panda conservation.

This is Macron's fourth state visit to China since taking office in 2017. In a press conference after meeting with Xi Jinping, he warned that with escalating trade tensions between China and Europe , the global order that maintains peace is "facing the risk of collapse." In this context, dialogue between China and France is more important than ever.

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict , Macron told Xi Jinping, "I hope China can join our calls and efforts to at least reach a ceasefire as soon as possible to halt attacks on critical infrastructure." Xi Jinping did not directly respond to Macron's statement, only saying that "China supports all efforts that contribute to peace."

Previously, Western countries have repeatedly criticized China for supplying military components to Russia's defense industry, providing it with crucial economic support needed for war.

Macron urged both sides to "continue to pool their efforts to maintain global peace and stability," while Xi Jinping pointed out that the world is currently "very turbulent," with international political conflicts erupting on multiple fronts and proving complex and intractable. He emphasized that China supports all actions conducive to peace and called on all parties to reach a "fair, lasting, binding, and acceptable peace agreement" through dialogue and negotiation.

Xi Jinping stated that China remains committed to promoting peace between Ukraine and Gaza, and that China will continue to "play a constructive role in resolving the crisis in its own way." He also announced that China will provide $100 million in aid to Palestine to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.

Trade becomes the focus of the talks

Besides seeking Chinese support for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, trade is also one of the key focuses of Macron's trip. China and Europe have previously experienced a series of trade frictions over rare earth elements and electric vehicle subsidies .

According to Chinese customs data, China is France's seventh largest trading partner, purchasing approximately $35 billion worth of French goods annually, of which about 10% are cosmetics, aircraft parts, and alcoholic beverages are also major exports. France, on the other hand, imports approximately $45 billion worth of goods from China annually, and the bilateral trade deficit continues to widen.

France and the EU describe China as a partner, competitor, and systemic rival all at once. In recent years, trade disputes have erupted between the two sides in several industries, stemming from the EU's investigation into Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles , while China responded by launching investigations into imports of European brandy , pork, and dairy products .

Macron told Xi Jinping on Thursday that Europe is willing to expand mutual investment with China and urged Xi to strengthen cooperation with Europe in areas such as geopolitics, trade and renewable energy. He also stressed that a trade war is "the worst possible outcome" and said that if the two sides maintain the status quo, they could eventually "enter a crisis."

Macron stated, "We should work with other partners to lay the foundation for more balanced economic governance," and called for fairer rules, adding, "We must create a trustworthy environment and address the various risks of instability in supply chains."

On Thursday, Xi Jinping stated that he and Macron had agreed to deepen cooperation in industries such as aerospace, nuclear energy, biopharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence, as well as in areas like giant panda conservation and global governance. He added that China expects to provide opportunities for French industries in its 15th Five-Year Plan , to be released next March. Speaking to business leaders, he said, "We support capable and willing Chinese companies to invest in France," but did not elaborate on specific measures.

Although the meeting between Macron and Xi Jinping on Thursday appeared amicable, analysts believe that political constraints will still affect bilateral cooperation.

Prior to the bilateral talks, Xi Jinping called on Macron to "uphold the banner of multilateralism" and exclude other countries from interfering in bilateral relations. This statement was seen as a veiled reference to external criticism that Europe's China policy was influenced by the hawkish stance of the US government.