Beneath the surface of diplomatic pleasantries lies a complex web of conflicting interests.
Against a backdrop of escalating global tensions, Chinese leader, Xi Jinping’s European tour signals China’s intent to recalibrate its relationships with key players on the world stage.
However, Emmanuel Macron’s priorities are focused on Ukraine, a crisis that threatens to destabilize the entire European continent.
The French President faces the challenge of reconciling two seemingly contradictory objectives – seeking Chinese assistance in ending the conflict while cautioning against actions that could prolong it.
Xi on Sunday, May 5, 2024, began a three-country tour of Europe. France is the first stop on Xi’s European trip.
Xi’s visit to Paris marks the 60th anniversary of France-China diplomatic relations, and follows Macron’s trip to China in April 2023.
Macron is said to seek to press China’s Xi Jinping to use his influence to move Russia toward ending the war in Ukraine during the two-day state visit to France.
According to a French presidential official, Macron will press Xi over supplies by Chinese companies supporting the Russian war effort despite EU sanctions.
The official added that France also wants China to maintain a dialogue with Kyiv.
China maintains a stance of neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, citing its long-standing policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.
For Macron, this presents a formidable obstacle – convincing Xi to depart from this stance and actively engage in resolving the crisis.
The fear looms large that any overtures towards Xi could inadvertently bolster Putin’s position, further prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
In essence, Macron’s diplomatic overtures to China epitomize the intricacies of realpolitik in the 21st century.
The pursuit of peace requires navigating a maze of competing interests and divergent agendas, all while maintaining a delicate balance between pragmatism and principle.
Macron’s engagement with Xi represents a pivotal moment in this intricate dance of diplomacy
“French authorities are pursuing two objectives that are ultimately contradictory,” Marc Julienne, Director of the Center for Asian Studies at the French Institute of International Relations, wrote in a briefing note.
“On the one hand, to convince Xi that it’s in his interest to help Europeans to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war and, on the other hand, to dissuade the Chinese President from delivering arms to his Russian friend.
“In short, we think that Xi can help us, but at the same time we fear that he could help Putin.”
Marc Julienne
After France on Monday and Tuesday, the Chinese leader will head to Serbia and Hungary, widely seen as being closer to Moscow.
“With these two visits to these two European capitals, Xi Jinping demonstrates that he is actively working to establish an authoritarian axis in international politics,” Reinhard Bütikofer, a German member of the European Parliament, claimed.
Xi To Meet von der Leyen
Chinese President, Xi Jinping is set to hold talks with Ursula von der Leyen and Macron in Paris.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said that she will push for competition with China that is “fair and not distorted” in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“I have made clear that the current imbalances in market access are not sustainable and need to be addressed,” von der Leyen said hours ahead of a meeting between her, Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
Von der Leyen reiterated the bloc’s position that it should “derisk” ties with China but not decouple from the world’s second-largest economy, in contrast with Washington’s aggressive moves to shut out key Chinese industries entirely.
“We have been very clear-eyed about our relationship with China, which is one of the most complex, but also one of the most important,” she said.
However, von der Leyen said that the EU could not accept “market-distorting practices.”
“China is currently manufacturing, with massive subsidies, more than it is selling due to its own weak domestic demand. This is leading to an oversupply of Chinese subsidised goods, such as EVs and steel, that is leading to unfair trade,” she said.
Von der Leyen stated that she would encourage Xi to address “overcapacities” in the short term.
European carmakers such as Volkswagen and Renault are losing ground to Chinese electric vehicle makers, which have received billions of dollars worth of state subsidies in recent years.
EU officials are also concerned about Chinese spying and Beijing’s military cooperation with Russia as Moscow prosecutes its war on Ukraine.
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