Macron arrives in China for talks with Xi on trade ties, Russia's war in Ukraine

Emmanuel Macron arrived in China on Wednesday for a threeday state visit focusing on trade and diplomatic talks as the French president seeks to enlist Beijing in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire with UkraineMacron will advocate for an agenda of cooperation in economic and trade matters aimed at achieving a balance that ensures sustainable solid growth that benefits everyone his office saidFrance is aiming to attract more investment from Chinese companies and facilitate market access for French exports During the visit officials from both nations are expected to sign several agreements in the energy food industry and aviation sectorsMacron is committed to defend fair and reciprocal market access his office saidHe and his wife Brigitte wore open overcoats against the winter chill as they stepped off a plane after nightfall at an airport in Beijing and walked down a redcarpeted jetwayThey were greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who spoke with Macron before the French leader and his wife departed in a limousineThey are expected to visit the 18thcentury Qianlong Garden complex in the Forbidden City the former palace of Chinas emperors on Wednesday eveningThe garden which dates from the Qing dynasty recently reopened to the public after a major renovationFrance will host the Group of Seven summit in 2026 involving the worlds most advanced economies while China will chair the 21member AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation APEC forum which includes the United States South Korea Japan Australia and RussiaThe 27nation bloc runs a massive trade deficit with China over 300 billion euros USD 348 billion last yearChina alone represents 46 per cent of Frances total trade deficitFrance and the European Union have described China as a partner competitor and systemic rivalRecent years have been marked by multiple trade disputes across a range of industries after the EU undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicles subsidiesChina responded with investigations into imports of European brandy pork and dairy productsIn July Macron welcomed exemptions for most cognac producers as a positive stepFrance is Chinas first supplier of wine and spiritsMacrons talks with President Xi Jinping will also address Russias war in Ukraine particularly following a meeting Monday in Paris with Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss potential terms for a ceasefireWhat we want is that China can convince and influence Russia to move toward a ceasefire as quickly as possible and consolidate that ceasefire through negotiations which in our view should lead to solid security guarantees for Ukraine a French top diplomatic official saidParis expects Beijing to refrain from providing Russia with any means whatsoever to continue the war the official said speaking anonymously in line with the French presidencys customary practicesChinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last week that Beijing believes in dialogue and negotiation to resolve the Ukraine war and supports all efforts leading to peaceSince the beginning of the Ukraine conflict China has played a constructive role in promoting a political resolution of the crisis she saidOn Thursday Macron will meet with Xi at the Great Hall of the People Both leaders will then participate in a FrancoChinese business forumIn the afternoon Macrons agenda includes talks with Zhao Leji chairman of the National Peoples Congress and Chinese Premier Li QiangThe French presidential couple will then travel to Chengdu in Chinas Sichuan provinceOn Friday Macron and Xi will have talks in Dujiangyan on the site of one of the worlds oldest irrigation systemMacron will later meet with students from the Sichuan UniversityChengdu is also home to the Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda where Yuan Meng the first giant panda born in France that was named by first lady Brigitte Macron is now stayingFrance last month sent back to China a couple of star giant pandas who lived in the country for 13 years and gave birth to three cubsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever