He is convinced that Beijing remains “unavoidable” faced with the many challenges of the world, starting with the war in Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron is expected Wednesday, April 5 in China, accompanied by thehe President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen. Due to its proximity to Russia, “China is the only country in the world in a position to have an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, one way or the other”estimated the Elysée before this three-day state visit by the French president.
The Head of State wants more broadly to set to music a “reengagement” after a long period without personal contact due to Covid-19, broken by a meeting with Xi Jinping in November in Indonesia. Follow our live.
A search for dialogue on Ukraine. During a telephone conversation, Emmanuel Macron and his American counterpart Joe Biden expressed the wish that China would help to “accelerate with us the end of the war in Ukraine”, according to French officials. While an anti-Western front was displayed by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in Moscow two weeks ago, the French president will seek “an area” of dialogue with Beijing for “initiatives” in order to “to support the civilian population” Ukrainian, but also “identify a path” way out of the crisis in the medium term, said an adviser.
Meeting with Chinese leaders. Emmanuel Macron is due to arrive Wednesday afternoon in the Chinese capital, where he will meet a French community tested by the health restrictions lifted at the end of 2022. Thursday, before a state dinner, he will meet Chinese leaders, with a sequence in common with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to convey a united message. Finally, he will go to Canton on Friday, where he will exchange with Chinese students.
Business owners in the delegation. The president will be accompanied by around sixty heads of French companies, including those of Airbus, EDF or Veolia, with an emphasis on energy transition, one of the planetary challenges on which Paris considers it essential to move forward with Beijing. Contract signatures are expected. The President intends to continue pushing for “better access to the Chinese market” And “fair conditions of competition”as during his visits in 2018 and 2019, explained his entourage.