Macron Meets China’s Li On EU leader’s Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron began a series of meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday on a visit with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen that could set a course for the bloc’s future relations with China after years of strained ties.

Newly-appointed Premier Li Qiang greeted Macron at the Great Hall of the People, a cavernous building west of Tiananmen Square commonly used for ceremonial events, ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping due later in the day.

After his arrival late Wednesday, Macron said “Europe must resist reducing trade and diplomatic ties with Beijing, which is at odds with the West over issues including Taiwan, sensitive technologies and China’s close ties with Russia.”

European Commission President von der Leyen, on her first visit to China since taking office in 2019, has said Europe must “de-risk” its relations with Beijing, as China had shifted from an era of reform and opening to one of security and control.

During her tenure, Europe’s relations with China have soured, mainly because of ”tit-for-tat” sanctions that stalled an investment pact in 2021 and Beijing’s refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine that has claimed thousands of lives since it started last year.

But emerging from years of sparse diplomatic activity as pandemic border controls largely shut the country off from the rest of the world, “China is eager to ensure Europe does not follow what it sees as U.S.-led efforts to contain its rise.”

For Macron’s visit at least, there are high expectations in Beijing.

Trade Cooperation
“Macron’s visit is expected to produce concrete results in furthering economic and trade cooperation between China and France, as well as to increase political mutual trust,” state media outlet Global Times wrote in an editorial on Thursday.

“It is worth noting that various forces in Europe and the U.S. are paying close attention to Macron’s visit and exerting influence in different directions,” the Global Times wrote. “In other words, not everyone wants to see Macron’s visit to China go smoothly and successfully.”

Following Macron’s talks with Li, the Chinese premier is due to host a “working lunch” with von der Leyen. Later in the afternoon, Macron and von der Leyen will separately hold talks with Xi before all three hold trilateral talks in the evening.

Reuters /Shakirat Sadiq