French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen urged Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday (May 6) to ensure more balanced trade with Europe, but the Chinese leader showed little sign of being ready to offer major concessions.

Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to ensure a more balanced trade relationship between Europe and China. During Xi Jinping's visit to Paris, the first in five years amidst increasing economic and trade tensions, both European leaders emphasized the importance of equal market conditions. This request was made in the context of ongoing investigations by the EU into Chinese industries, including electric vehicle exports, and China's anti-dumping probe on French cognac.

In discussions, President Macron highlighted the necessity of a level playing field for all parties involved. He underscored this point ahead of the two-day visit that included a review of French troops at an honor guard ceremony with President Xi. Despite Macron and von der Leyen's efforts to address trade imbalances and the challenges posed by Chinese state subsidies and unequal market access, the Chinese leader's response did not signal a readiness to make significant concessions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed that China prioritizes its relationship with Europe as a major foreign policy objective. He remarked that China views its connections with the EU from a strategic and long-term perspective, hoping EU institutions will "develop the right perception of China." While French diplomatic sources noted Xi's receptiveness to trade discussions, it remains uncertain whether this will lead to concrete actions.

During the meeting, von der Leyen voiced concerns over the current state of the EU-China relationship, attributing the difficulties to unfair competition and the inability of the world market to absorb China's surplus production. Xi, on his part, countered the perspective of overcapacity problems from a global viewpoint, as reported by Chinese state media.

The talks also ventured into political domains, where Macron urged the Chinese president to leverage his influence over Russia to help bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine. State media reports indicated Xi's commitment to actively encouraging peace talks, contributing to the multifaceted discussions between the European leaders and their Chinese counterpart.



Macron, von der Leyen press China's Xi on trade in Paris

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Europe for the first time in five years, at a time of growing economic and trade tensions. Xi was in Paris on Monday, where French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen urged him to ensure more balanced trade with Europe. We have a responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all, Macron said ahead of talks during the two-day visit. The EU is investigating Chinese industries such as electric vehicle exports, while Beijing has started an anti-dumping probe on French cognac. For his part, Xi says China's relationship with Europe is a foreign policy priority. China always views its relations with the EU from a strategic and long-term perspective, he said. During the Monday visit, Macron and Xi also reviewed French troops at an honor guard ceremony. Chinese state media reported that Xi, behind closed doors, said he hoped EU institutions would quote, develop the right perception of China. French diplomatic sources said the Chinese president appeared receptive to his counterpart's comments on trade, but it's unclear if that will lead to action. The world cannot absorb China's surplus production. While speaking to reporters, von der Leyen said both sides' relationship is hurt by unequal market access and Chinese state subsidies. I am convinced that if the competition is fair, we in Europe will have thriving, durable economies that will support more good jobs. Chinese media reported that Xi told the leaders, from a global perspective, he doesn't think there's a problem with overcapacity. Still, a sticking point on the European side is that EU members, especially France and Germany, are not united in their attitude towards China. Macron also pressed the Chinese leader to use his influence on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. According to state media, Xi said China has been working vigorously to facilitate peace talks.

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