Shot of Xi Jinping on Visit to France

During his visit to France, Xi Jinping is mitigating domestic economic issues and trade relations between the two countries.

AFP/POOL/MICHEL EULER

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal (second from the right) welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan (center) at Orly Airport in southern Paris on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

PARIS, MONDAY — President of China Xi Jinping arrives in Paris, France, Sunday (5/5/2024), in a series of visits to three European countries. The other two countries on his visit are Serbia and Hungary. This is his first visit to Europe since 2019.

When landing at Orly Airport in Paris, Xi was welcomed by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Upon arrival, Xi stated that he hopes his visit will result in "strategic convergence" between China and France. The improvement of the relationship between the two countries, as Xi stated in a written statement released to journalists, is expected to contribute to "stability and positive energy in a world that is currently experiencing turbulence."

According to Xi, the relationship between China and France has become a "model for the international community on peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation among countries with different social systems". The meeting between the two leaders also marks the 60th anniversary of Beijing-Paris relations.

On Monday (6/5/2024), Xi is scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders will also hold a trilateral meeting with European Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen, followed by a state banquet at the Elysee Palace.

The next day, on Tuesday, Macron invited Xi - who was accompanied by First Lady Peng Liyuan - to meet at Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees Mountains for a more relaxed but profound dialogue.

Valerie Niquet, Head of the Asia Program at the Foundation for Strategic Research and senior researcher at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, in her article on the page The Diplomat, called Xi's visit to France an attempt by Beijing to shift in exploring the export market for high economic products that are surplus in his country, starting from the automotive industry, solar power panels and green technology.

This step, according to Niquet, was taken by China amidst declining household consumption in its country. ”Beijing hopes to mitigate the consequences of France's posture in dealing with the trade deficit issue with China and in responding to Beijing's threatening commercial practices in key sectors for the French economy, such as industry automotive," he wrote.

Apart from discussing bilateral relations issues, Xi and Macron will also discuss, among other things, finding a peaceful and meaningful solution to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. Macron will highlight China's closeness to Russia and ask China not to support Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine. Previously, in April 2023, Macron visited Beijing.

Also read: China Still Helping Russia, US Imposes Hundreds of Sanctions

AP/POOL/THIBAULT CAMUS

Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke before the commencement of a banquet ceremony at the Governor's residence in Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China, on April 7th, 2023.

China's relations with Europe are strained due to Beijing's closeness to Moscow. China did not condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine.

Europe does not have one voice

However, Beijing's relations with Paris remain warm. In fact, China recognized France as a mediator. Macron is a Western leader who continues to say that the European Union (EU) does not have one voice regarding China. However, the economic bloc should not suffer disunity because of this. Continuing to maintain an open dialogue with China is key.

Also read: Quietly Going to China, Elon Musk Triggers Various Speculation

According to Macron, the EU should not be dragged into geopolitical issues between China and the United States, particularly regarding the status of Taiwan. At the same time, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch has urged Macron to use his proximity to Xi to discuss the cessation of forced labor camps for Uighurs in Xinjiang and repression against journalists in China.

Ahead of his arrival in Paris, Xi wrote an opinion column published by the newspaperLe Figaro. ”We all hope that peace and stability will return to Europe. "China is very enthusiastic about working with France to find solutions to realize this hope," Xi wrote in the opinion column.

AFP/SPUTNIK/PAVEL BYRKIN

Chinese President Xi Jinping toasts with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Moscow, March 21, 2023.

Western leaders have repeatedly warned China. This is because China did not send weapons to Russia, but rather sent various equipment used by Moscow to make weapons.

Also read: Differences Increasingly Sharp, US-China Seek Common Ground

Meanwhile, Macron was interviewed by The Economist magazine. "We must ensure that we can bring China into thinking about world stability," he said.

Fair competition

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that they intend to encourage Xi to implement fair economic competition in China. Currently, the European and global markets are oversupplied with cheap products from China. This is because the Chinese government provides subsidies to factories to produce goods at low costs, but with low domestic demand, the majority of products are exported.

"EU and China have discussed that the imbalanced market situation is not sustainable. We will discuss it further," said Von der Leyen.

AP/POOL/LUDOVIC MARIN

Chinese President Xi Jinping was flanked by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing, China, on April 6, 2023.

The European Commission conducted a number of investigations into Chinese products. Beijing was angry at this treatment and accused the EU of protectionism.

Also read: Chinese Foreign Minister to Indonesia, Strengthens Cooperation with Developing Countries

The EU is investigating several issues, including their difficulty in accessing the healthcare equipment market in China, the production of wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries for electric vehicles.

"We cannot cut our ties with China, but we must reduce our dependency. The relationship between the EU and China is very complex and important," said von der Leyen.

According to him, the cooperation between the EU and China continues. Despite issues in the trade sector, both parties are still working together in addressing the climate crisis, developing the digital sector, and other global issues. (AFP/REUTERS)