French President Emmanuel Macron reached out to China's Xi Jinping on Thursday, requesting his assistance in mediating the Ukraine war by leveraging China's close ties with Russia. In response, Xi expressed hope that both sides could engage in peace negotiations as soon as possible.
Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen participated in closely-watched talks in Beijing, during which the French president emphasized the need for the West to involve China in efforts to resolve the crisis and prevent global powers from dividing into warring factions. "The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to (international) stability," Macron stated at the beginning of their meeting, adding, "I know I can count on you to bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table."
Following the discussion with Macron, Xi called for Ukraine and Russia to return to peace talks and seek a political solution to the ongoing conflict. Both France and China characterized the conversation between the two leaders as "frank and constructive" and "friendly" and "in-depth," respectively.
Macron also requested Xi's help in urging Russia to adhere to international regulations on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Ukraine's neighbor. Without explicitly mentioning Russia, Xi emphasized that all nations should respect commitments regarding the non-use of nuclear weapons and that "nuclear war shouldn't be waged." He also urged the global community to avoid any actions that could exacerbate the crisis or cause it to spiral out of control.
The visit by EU leaders to China takes place amid deteriorating relations between the two sides due to issues such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang, a stalled investment pact, and China's reluctance to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, Macron argued that Europe must resist the urge to cut trade and diplomatic ties with China and reject the perceived "inescapable spiral" of tension between China and the West.
During their first trip to China since assuming office as European Commission president in 2019, von der Leyen and Macron were scheduled to engage in trilateral talks with Xi on Thursday evening.
Xi expressed China's willingness to work with the European Union (EU) to restart "exchanges" at all levels, despite "differences" and "restraints," as the world undergoes profound historical changes. Both Macron and von der Leyen have stated their desire to convince China to use its influence with Russia to establish peace in Ukraine or, at the very least, prevent Beijing from directly supporting Moscow's invasion, which Russia refers to as a "special military operation."
Earlier this year, China proposed a 12-point peace plan for the Ukraine crisis that called for a gradual de-escalation culminating in a comprehensive ceasefire. The West largely dismissed the plan due to China's refusal to condemn Russia. Meanwhile, the US and NATO accused China of considering arms shipments to Russia, an allegation that Beijing has denied.
Macron, accompanied by a delegation of 50 business representatives from companies such as Airbus, LVMH, and EDF, also sought economic opportunities in China. Airbus announced plans to open a new assembly line in China, doubling its capacity in the world's second-largest aviation market, and confirmed some previously revealed jet orders.
