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French President Macron arrives on a high-stakes visit to China, where trade deficit, European investigations and Ukraine war are the main agenda. Macron wants China to put pressure on Russia and France to get better market access. The Taiwan dispute and the sensitivity of Europe-China relations make this tour more important.
When Russian President Putin has visited India, another visit to China has become a topic of discussion. French President Emmanuel Macron reached Beijing on Thursday on a three-day visit to China, where he was welcomed in a grand style. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan formally welcomed Macron and Brigitte Macron at the Great Hall of the People. This is Macron’s fourth visit to China since 2017, and this time the stakes are bigger than ever. Let us understand why Macron has gone to China?
Trade tensions between France and China have increased over the past several months. The EU is investigating subsidies on Chinese electric vehicles, while China is investigating European brandy, pork and dairy products. EU’s trade deficit with China has reached $348 billion. 46 percent of France’s trade deficit alone is related to China, so Macron has brought in this tour the hope of better access to the Chinese market, new agreements and more investment.
Joint press conference of Modi-Putin. (Credit- Reuters)
Did Macron reach China with any agenda?
In Beijing, Macron met President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Kiang. Along with this, he will also participate in the Franco-Chinese Business Forum. Many agreements are expected in the energy, food and aviation sectors. But this journey is not limited to just business. Ukraine war is considered to be the most important part of this tour. Before coming to China, Macron met Ukrainian President Zelensky in Paris and discussed possible paths regarding ceasefire. Macron wants China to put pressure on Russia and play a role in stopping the war. French officials have made it clear that they expect China will not provide any assistance to Russia in continuing the war.
What does China want from Macron?
However, China has never criticized Russia’s action. Beijing says it is a supporter of dialogue and diplomatic solutions, but Western countries allege that China provides indirect benefits to Russia through economic and technological help. Meanwhile, the situation in East Asia also remains sensitive. Japan had recently said that any conflict over Taiwan could pose an existential threat to Japan’s security. China called it provocative and now reportedly wants support from France on this issue. But France is publicly adopting a balanced stance.
