Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Paris on Sunday for a rare visit, praising the ties between China and France as a model for international cooperation despite mounting trade disputes with the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to urge Xi to reduce trade imbalances and use his influence with Russia to help resolve the ongoing war in Ukraine during their meeting on Monday, which will also include European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
In a statement released upon his arrival, Xi emphasized the importance of the Sino-French relationship, describing it as "a model for the international community of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries with different social systems." The Chinese president also penned an op-ed in the French daily Le Figaro, outlining his commitment to opening up "new vistas" in the relationship with France, encouraging Chinese companies to go global, and upholding world peace and stability.
However, Xi's visit comes at a time of increasing trade tensions between China and the EU. France is currently backing an EU probe into Chinese electric vehicle exports, while Beijing launched an investigation into mostly French-made imports of brandy in January, a move widely seen as retaliation for the EU's probes. "We want to obtain reciprocity of exchanges and have the elements of our economic security taken into account," Macron said in an interview with La Tribune ahead of Xi's two-day visit.
The EU's 27 members, particularly France and Germany, are divided on their approach to China. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not join Macron and Xi in Paris due to prior commitments, highlighting the lack of consensus among European nations. "In Europe, we are not unanimous on the subject because certain players still see China as essentially a market of opportunities," Macron said, without naming specific countries.
One of Macron's key priorities during the visit will be to warn Xi of the dangers of backing Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Western officials are concerned that Moscow is already using Chinese machine tools in arms production and want to prevent China from supplying weapons to Russia, which could tip the balance in the conflict. "It is in our interest to get China to weigh in on the stability of the international order," Macron said in an interview with the Economist.
France is also seeking to make progress on opening the Chinese market to its agricultural exports and resolving issues around the French cosmetic industry's concerns about intellectual property rights. There are reports that China may announce an order for about 50 Airbus aircraft during Xi's visit, although it remains uncertain whether this will be a new deal.
On Monday, von der Leyen stated that she would press for "fair" competition with China in her talks with Xi. "We have to act to make sure that competition is fair and not distorted," she said, adding, "I have made clear that the current imbalances in market access are not sustainable and need to be addressed."
The European Commission has opened several competition probes targeting China in recent months, which has led to a furious reaction from Beijing. The most recent investigation, focusing on suspected inequitable access to China's medical devices market, was called a sign of EU "protectionism" by Chinese officials.
