Xi arrived in Paris on Sunday, beginning a six-day visit to Europe, his first since 2019, and is also scheduled to hold talks in Serbia and Hungary. Xi has said he wants peace in Ukraine, although analysts do not expect any major changes in Chinese policy.
Opening the tripartite meeting, which was also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Macron said coordination with Beijing on major crises, including Ukraine, was absolutely crucial, and called for fair rules for all in Europe-China trade.
“The future of our continent will very clearly depend on our ability to continue to develop a balanced relationship with China,” Macron said.
Leyen said she insists on fair competition with China in world trade, adding that in previous talks with Xi she made it clear that the current imbalance in market access was unsustainable and needed to be addressed.
“We have been very clear about our relationship with China, which is one of the most difficult, but also the most important,” she said.
On Tuesday, the French and Chinese presidents will travel to the Pyrenees for more informal talks.
During the talks, Macron is expected to urge Beijing not to supply Russia with technology that it can use in the production of weapons, and also to call for an end to distorting competition in international trade.
