China can play a ‘key role’ in ‘finding a path to peace’ in Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, April 5, for a three-day state visit to China, his first visit to the country since 2019, the Elysee Palace said. In slightly overcast weather, the French President was greeted as he landed. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s flight before taking his place in a motorcade by car.

Ahead of intensive discussions with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, the head of state will meet with the French community in the afternoon, and will be contacted in part by European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen. Guangzhou (South) Friday. Emmanuel Macron begins his visit with a speech to French society “State the problems and objectivesAccording to those around him, this trip.

Be it in Beijingplays an important role“for that”Find your way to peaceIn Ukraine, the French president said. “China presented precisely a peace plan […] It is a desire to actually have a responsibility and try to create a path towards peace“, Macron said in front of French society. He also said that Europe should notto extractAt the start of a three-day state visit to the Asian country, China is at the economic forefront. “We must separate ourselves from China, not cut ourselves off“, he pleaded, but”Commit proactively to pursue trade relations with China“.

Although the French president wants to continue to visit China, his last visit dates back to 2019: Covid-19 and strict health restrictions lifted by Chinese authorities at the end of 2022, have long frozen relations – and tested French people living in China. So Paris bets “Connect againIt wants to resume human-to-human exchanges at all levels, especially among students from the two countries. Emmanuel Macron will emphasize cultural ties by opening a Franco-Chinese festival on Wednesday.passes throughConsidered China’s largest overseas festival. He is joined by director Jean-Jacques Annaud, musician Jean-Michel Jarre and on the Chinese side actress Gong Li and painter Yan Pei-ming.

Disappointing expectations

The French leader will hold more political meetings on Thursday, notably with Xi Jinping, whom he met back in November at the G20 in Bali for the first time since the pandemic. At the time, France made no secret of its hope to see the Chinese president mediate between Ukraine and Russia, and use his influence with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to convince him to settle peace talks.

Since then, the facts have defied these expectations: Beijing, which officially calls itself neutral, has remained faithful to its line of not condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin renewed their alliance two weeks ago in what looks like an anti-Western front in several capitals, starting in Moscow and Washington.

Only China can change the situation

Before leaving for Beijing on Tuesday, Mr. Macron spoke on the phone with his US counterpart, Joe Biden, and discussed with him.Their common desire is to engage China to speed up the end of the war in Ukraine and to participate in building lasting peace in the region.“, according to the French president. The urgency, in Paris’s view, is to tie a position in favor of President Xi.Stability” and this “Prosperity“Let’s find out with him, in the long run, in hopes of a planet dear to China.”One wayto end the conflict.

For the French presidency, only China can”tip topThe situation is good or bad. But only the Europeans can make the Chinese aware.Great impactWar on the European Union, therefore because it is one of their own interests “Major trading partnersFrom Beijing. “If you switch to a war camp, it will have a very strong strategic impactThis is one of the messages that Emmanuel Macron, who wants to accompany Ursula von der Leyen to a tripartite meeting with Xi Jinping scheduled for Thursday, will carry. The European leader gave a very convincing speech before the trip. To convey this message, France, like Germany and other Europeans, considers it necessary to continue talking to China, distancing itself from the confrontational approach adopted by the United States in recent years.

Raise the issue of human rights

US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy is due to meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California, while Emmanuel Macron also begins his trip, an interview condemned by Chinese diplomacy. The French delegation also picked up more than 50 business leaders, who had promised to raise the issue of human rights, particularly in the Xinjiang region, according to many observers, who are victims of strong repression against Uyghur Muslims. Airbus, EDF, Alstom or Veolia.

The contracts are expected to be signed on Thursday, but are not detailed at this stage. Emmanuel Macron is set to end his trip to Canton on Friday, where he will exchange with Chinese students and have a fresh dinner with Xi Jinping, who wants to get closer after the extravagance of a state dinner scheduled for Thursday.