Chinese President Xi Jinping on state go to to France in every week, Ukraine on the agenda | EUROtoday

Published on : 04/29/2024 – 7:17 p.m.

4 minutes

On the event of 60 years of diplomatic relations between France and China, President Xi Jinping is anticipated in France on May 6 and seven for a state go to throughout which Emmanuel Macron will ask him once more to contribute to a “resolution” of the battle in Ukraine.

This would be the begin of its first European tour because the Covid-19 pandemic, which noticed the Asian big lower off many interactions with the remainder of the world for a very long time.

Xi Jinping is because of land in Paris on the night of Sunday May 5, earlier than making stops in Serbia after which Hungary, the place he’s anticipated from May 8 to 10, the Chinese authorities additionally confirmed on Monday.

“The discussions will focus on international crises, first and foremost the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, trade issues”, “in addition to our frequent actions within the face of worldwide points, specifically the local weather emergency, safety of biodiversity and the monetary scenario of essentially the most weak international locations”, declared the Élysée on Monday.

Read alsoTaiwan: Emmanuel Macron sparks an outcry by defending a European path between China and the United States

Paris evokes a very political visit, even if new Chinese investments in France are being negotiated, particularly in electric batteries. And French officials also intend to raise commercial issues, and defend “the pursuits” of the country “throughout and following” the anti-dumping investigation into cognac-type alcohol launched by the Chinese authorities.

“Encourage” China to “use the levers it has on Moscow”

Lin Jian, spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, said for his part that the two leaders will try to “make new contributions to world peace, stability, development and progress”.

As a year ago in China, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be involved in a trilateral exchange on Monday in Paris.

Last year, Emmanuel Macron called on Xi Jinping to “bring Russia to reason” with regard to Ukraine. Shortly after, the Chinese president called his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the start of the conflict in February 2022. But the diplomatic progress expected by Paris on the Russo-Ukrainian front stopped there.

Read alsoEmmanuel Macron in China: “The goal was to send messages, the results are mixed”

A year later, the French analysis has not changed.

“China being one among Russia's predominant companions”, particularly in diplomatic and commercial matters, the head of state intends to “encourage it to make use of the levers it has over Moscow as a way to change Russia's calculations and to have the ability to contribute to a decision of this battle,” defined the Élysée. He will even “raise concerns” about “the activity of certain Chinese companies which could directly contribute significantly to the Russian war effort”, added an adviser.

Chinese authorities formally say they’re impartial and name for a peace resolution, however have by no means condemned the Russian invasion. In an indication of the power of Beijing-Moscow relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin is because of go to China in May.

“France, by this go to, demonstrates that it is likely one of the very uncommon international locations on the planet to have the ability to keep channels of dialogue in any respect ranges with the second largest financial energy on the planet, with China, in a context the place it There is a tense relationship with the United States and the United Kingdom,” says a French diplomatic supply.

State dinner in Paris and extra intimate second on the Col du Tourmalet

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and American Secretary of State Antony Blinken not too long ago took turns in Beijing to additionally ask President Xi Jinping to place stress on Moscow.

The Chinese president and his spouse Peng Liyuan will probably be acquired on May 6 by Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron in Paris, the place a state dinner is deliberate on the Élysée within the presence of a number of Chinese artists.

On May 7, the 2 {couples} will journey to the Hautes-Pyrénées, to the Col du Tourmalet, the legendary climb of the Tour de France, the place the French head of state desires to share a extra intimate second along with his counterpart.

In reality, he went there loads in his childhood to go to his maternal grandmother, Germaine Noguès, who died in 2013 and who lived in Bagnères-de-Bigorre.

Last yr, Xi Jinping acquired his visitor in Guangzhou for a tea ceremony on the governor's residence of Guangdong province, the place his father, Xi Zhongxun, lived when he held that publish from 1978 to 1981.

With AFP