Chinese President Xi Jinping today held a meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Beijing, Xinhua reported. On Wednesday, Macron arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit to China at the invitation of Xi.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, Macron said that he will discuss about climate, business, bio-diversity and food security with Xi Jinping. Macron’s visit to China comes amid Europe’s efforts to find a path to peace in 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.”
On April 5, Macron addressed the French community in China, the Elysee Palace said in a statement. He began by saluting the medical and nursing staff and the management of French schools and teachers for their sense of duty during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his speech, Macron spoke about the objectives of his visit to China.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he wants to engage China in shared responsibility for peace and stability, strengthen the trade ties between France and China and reinitiate a common framework for action on major international issues such as the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity.
Macron recalled 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., according to the Elysee Palace statement.
French President visited the RedBrick museum in Beijing to attend the opening of the 17th edition of the Festival Croisements. He noted that this festival remains the largest foreign festival in China with 15 million spectators since its creation, according to the statement.
Earlier on April 4, Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic conversation with US President Joe Biden. During the phone-call, the two leaders had spoken about Macron’s visit 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.”