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Emmanuel Macron leads to China on Wednesday on a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomatic talks. French President wants to put pressure on Beijing Russia Towards a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Macron will advocate an agenda of cooperation in economic and trade matters aimed at achieving a balance that “ensures sustainable, solid growth that benefits all,” his office said.
France aims to attract more investment from Chinese companies and facilitate market access for French exports. During the visit, officials from both the countries are expected to sign several agreements in the energy, food industry and aviation sectors.
Macron is committed to protecting “fair and reciprocal market access,” his office said.
France will host the Group of Seven summit of the world’s most advanced economies in 2026, while China will chair the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which includes the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Russia.
The Group of 27 nations has a huge trade deficit with China — more than 300 billion euros ($348 billion) last year. China alone represents 46% of France’s total trade deficit.
France and the EU have described China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. Recent years have been marked by a number of trade disputes across various industries after the European Union launched an investigation into subsidies on Chinese electric vehicles. China responded with investigations into imports of European brandy, pork and dairy products.
In July, Macron welcomed the exemption for most Cognac producers as a positive step. France is China’s first supplier of wines and spirits.
Macron’s conversation with the President Xi Jinping He will also address Russia’s war in Ukraine, particularly after a meeting in Paris on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss possible ceasefire terms.
A French top diplomatic official said, “What we want… is that China can persuade and influence Russia to move towards a ceasefire as soon as possible and to consolidate that ceasefire through negotiations, which should, in our view, provide concrete security guarantees for Ukraine.”
Paris hopes Beijing will “refrain from providing Russia with any means to continue the war,” said the official, speaking anonymously in line with customary practices of the French presidency.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said last week that Beijing believes in “dialogue and dialogue” to resolve the Ukraine war and supports “all efforts” that lead to peace. Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, China “has played a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the crisis,” he said.
Macron, who will be accompanied by his wife Brigitte, is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening, with plans to visit the 18th-century Qianlong Garden complex in the Forbidden City, which recently reopened to the public after a major renovation.
On Thursday, Macron will meet Xi at the Great Hall of the People. After this both the leaders will participate in the Franco-Chinese Business Forum. Macron’s agenda in the afternoon includes talks with Chairman of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The French presidential couple will then travel to Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province.
On Friday, Macron and Xi will hold talks in Dujiangyan, one of the world’s oldest irrigation systems. Macron will later meet students from Sichuan University.
Chengdu is also home to the Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center, where Yuan Meng, the first giant panda born in France to be named by First Lady Brigitte Macron, now lives. France last month repatriated some star giant pandas to China, who lived in the country for 13 years and gave birth to three cubs.