French President Emmanuel Macron called on Monday, May 6, in front of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at the start of his state visit to France, for “fair rules for all” in trade between Europe and China .
“The future of our continent will also very clearly depend on our ability to continue to develop relations with China in a balanced manner,” he said at the Elysée at the opening of a three-way meeting attended by also from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. He added that “coordination” with Beijing on “major crises” in Ukraine and the Middle East was “absolutely decisive.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the Elysée late this morning for the official start of his two-day state visit to France, to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He was welcomed by Emmanuel Macron in the main courtyard of the presidential palace where the Republican Guard had been deployed. The two men were to have a first meeting immediately in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who came to discuss in particular the numerous trade disputes with Beijing.
