French President Emmanuel Macron will visit China for the first time in about three years and five months and will meet with President Xi Jinping in Beijing on June 3. Ahead of the meeting, President Macron stated that "dialogue with China is indispensable" and expressed his intention to encourage China, which has close relations with Russia, to engage in the situation in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting China for 5 to 3 days, and in addition to meeting with President Xi Jinping on the evening of the 6th, he is also scheduled to hold a three-party meeting with EU = European Union President von der Leyen in the evening.
Regarding the trilateral talks, French media have analyzed that China wants to increase its negotiating power.
The day before the meeting, President Macron addressed French people living in China in Beijing on the 3th.
Referring to China's release of a document calling for dialogue and ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in February, he said, "It shows that China is responsible and willing to build a path to peace, and dialogue with China is indispensable," and expressed his intention to encourage China to engage in the situation in Ukraine.
China has a close relationship with Russia, which continues to invade Ukraine, and President Macron is also expected to aim to deter further proximity between the two countries.
In addition, many people from companies such as Airbus, a major aircraft manufacturer, will accompany the visit to strengthen economic ties with China.
French expert "Aims to show Europe's unity attitude toward China"
Antoine Bondaz, a researcher at the French Foundation for Strategic Studies who is an expert on Asian security policy, said of the visit, "President Macron's visit to China with EU President von der Leyen is very symbolic. It is intended to show Europe's unity against China.
He then noted that the EU is trying to promote so-called "delisking" to reduce risks rather than "decoupling" that severs economic ties with China, saying, "No one thinks that economic exchanges with China can be stopped tomorrow. What is needed is to reduce dependence," he said, adding that it is necessary to continue economic partnerships with China while reducing risks, such as reducing dependence on China through procurement of rare earths and other products.