France’s Macron to Meet China's Xi

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Facts

  • French Pres. Emmanuel Macron arrived in China on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will see him meet with Pres. Xi Jinping to discuss trade, diplomatic ties, and the war in Ukraine.1
  • With Macron and other European leaders reportedly concerned that China could cross the West's redline by providing weapons on a large scale to Moscow, the French president is focused on urging Xi to limit support for Russia.2
  • While Beijing has officially taken a neutral stance regarding the war, it has supported Moscow diplomatically and economically — though reportedly not with weaponry — amid Western sanctions, with the pair signing a strategic partnership in March.1
  • Relations between Beijing and the EU have changed since the French leader last visited China in November 2019, in part due to the paralysis of trade caused by the pandemic and an increase in disputes between the two sides – including China's alleged treatment of Uyghurs and the war in Europe.3
  • Analysts say the trip aims to present a common European front toward China, with the stakes for improving ties high for both sides, including China's position as a top EU trading partner.4
  • Macron is accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and more than 50 CEOs to participate in trade talks.1

Sources: 1Al Jazeera, 2Wall Street Journal, 3Le monde.fr and 4Voa.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CNN. Not only will this meeting play a pivotal part in Sino-EU relations, but it could also play an important role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The French see Beijing as potentially one of the few countries able to have a game-changer effect in the conflict due to its ties with Russia, and Macron's visit is an opportunity to explore this.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by France 24. Macron's visit comes weeks after China released a 12-point 'peace' plan to try to pause the fighting in Ukraine. The proposal — nothing more than a victory roll for Russia — clearly contradicts Beijing's so-called neutral stance, which won't be dissuaded by France's 'diplomacy of balance.' It's hard to take Macron very seriously when he tries to play tough with the Chinese and be diplomatic at the same time.

Predictions