French President Emmanuel Macron began an official three-day trip to China on Wednesday, greeted with full honours at the Great Hall of the People.
Xi Calls for Stronger Global Partnership
Chinese President Xi Jinping used the welcoming ceremony to push for deeper cooperation, urging both countries to defend multilateralism and tackle worldwide challenges together.
“China stands ready to join France in protecting the core interests of our peoples and advancing our strategic partnership for the next 60 years,” Xi said.
Ukraine and Trade Top the Agenda
Thursday’s talks focused heavily on the war in Ukraine, with Macron pressing Beijing to use its leverage over Moscow to help end the conflict. China maintains close economic ties with Russia and has repeatedly called for talks without criticising the invasion.
Deals Signed Across Multiple Sectors
A 50-strong French business delegation accompanied Macron — his fourth state visit to China. The two sides inked 12 new agreements covering:
- Investment projects
- Civil nuclear energy
- Giant panda protection programmes
- Solutions for ageing populations
Next Stop: Sichuan Province
The presidents will travel together to Chengdu, where they will visit the historic Dujiangyan irrigation system and see the two giant pandas currently on loan to France — a longstanding symbol of Sino-French friendship.
The visit underscores Paris and Beijing’s efforts to balance strategic differences with practical cooperation.
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