Chinese President Xi Jinping holds meeting with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron

According to Xinhua, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his French colleague Emmanuel Macron today in Beijing. Macron landed in Beijing on Wednesday for a three-day visit at Xi’s invitation. Macron said on his official Twitter account that he will meet with Xi Jinping to address climate, commerce, biodiversity, and food security. Macron’s trip to China coincides with Europe’s efforts to find a solution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

He tweeted, “I am convinced that China has a major role to play in building peace. This is what I have come to discuss, to move forward on. With President XI Jinping, we will also talk about our businesses, the climate and biodiversity, and food security.”

Macron addressed the French community in China on April 5, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace. He began by thanking the medical and nursing workers, as well as the administration and instructors of French schools, for their feeling of responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Macron discussed the goals of his visit to China in his speech.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he wants to engage China in shared responsibility for peace and stability, deepen bilateral trade connections, and re-establish a common framework for action on significant international concerns such as climate change and biodiversity protection.

According to an Elysee Palace statement, Macron emphasised the importance of reviving cultural ties between France and China in 2023 to prepare for the year 2024, which will be the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the year of Franco-Chinese cultural tourism, and the year of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between France and China.

The French President paid a visit to the RedBrick museum in Beijing to attend the 17th edition of the Festival Croisements. According to the statement, he emphasised that this festival has remained China’s largest foreign festival, with 15 million spectators since its inception.

Earlier that day, on April 4, Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with US Vice President Joseph Biden. During the phone chat, the two presidents discussed Macron’s trip to China.

The White House said in a statement, “The two leaders discussed President Macron’s upcoming travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). They also reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.”