Macron to take French business leaders to China next week, despite EU calls to ‘de-risk’ ties

Name: Fires, clashes and tear gas in Paris as protesters oppose President Macron's pension bill
Uploaded: 2023-03-31T19:30:39.000Z
Duration: 2 min 39 s
Description: Fires, clashes and tear gas in Paris as protesters oppose President Macron's pension bill

French President Emmanuel Macron hopes to strengthen economic and cultural ties with Beijing

Several meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping are planned; one will include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

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French President Emmanuel Macron will lead a delegation to China next week that will include business representatives in a trip to strengthen economic ties to Beijing. Photo: EPA-EFE

Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels

Published: 3:30am, 1 Apr 2023Updated: 3:48am, 1 Apr 2023

French President Emmanuel Macron will take a gaggle of business executives to China next week, despite European Union advice to “de-risk” Europe’s economic ties to Beijing.

Airbus and Alstom officials will be among those on the trip, according to Élysée sources, along with a large group of artists and filmmakers, as Macron looks to solidify business and cultural ties with the world’s second-largest economy.

Macron, who plans to fly from protest-riven Paris on Tuesday, is to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday.

Later that evening, following a sit-down with French companies, he will attend a state dinner, followed by a trilateral summit with Xi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

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Fires, clashes and tear gas in Paris as protesters oppose President Macron's pension bill

From there he is to travel to Guangdong, where he will hold a question-and-answer session with students on Friday, followed by a more “informal” dinner with Xi.