Opinion | Macron gets the timing right in China as energetic standard-bearer for Europe

French president was charming but also sent a message as Beijing searches for an EU partner

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French President Emmanuel Macron called for China and Europe to work together on climate change. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:00pm, 13 Jan 2018Updated: 10:33pm, 13 Jan 2018

Once again, timing has been fruitful for Emmanuel Macron, who was unexpectedly elected president of France last year, less than two years after creating his own political party.

This week, he became the first European head of state to meet President Xi Jinping since the 19th Communist Party congress was held in October. During his trip, Macron masterfully struck a balance between being charming and sending a message. He played “horse diplomacy” by offering his host a French horse called Vesuvius and delighted Chinese social media with a video of him learning to say “make the planet great again” in Mandarin.

Emmanuel Macron is the first European head of state to meet Xi Jinping since Xi secured a second term in power in October. Photo: Reuters

It was a double act for Macron, as Europe’s newest leader. He visited China primarily as the French president and insisted on the bilateral relationship. He brought along 50 top French executives and oversaw several business deals in sectors such as food, financial services, catering and industry. For example, China agreed to lift a 16-year embargo on French beef within six months. Meanwhile, the biggest deal – construction of a radioactive waste processing plant in China by EDF and Areva – is still under negotiation, while Airbus, headquartered in Toulouse, France, will be producing more planes in China by 2020 through an “enhanced partnership in Tianjin” (arguably quite different from a straight commercial order by China).

Airbus will produce more planes in China via an “enhanced partnership in Tianjin”. Photo: AFP

Diplomatically, Macron addressed the Syrian crisis and the Korean peninsula with Xi, and asked for Chinese support in counterterrorism efforts on the African continent. And China agreed to work with France on a spring conference on fighting terror financing.

He also successfully appeared as one of Europe’s standard-bearers. In one of his speeches, he declared that “Europe is back”. In the eyes of a slightly sceptical Chinese public, it may have been preposterous, although France is perhaps the best-known European country in Chinese public opinion. The visit by its energetic, 40-year-old leader has attracted quite a bit of interest – not just for his charm and Chinese-language attempts. After all, China wants to increase its presence on the world stage, hence the need for more partners at a time when the United States under Donald Trump appears to be pulling back.

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}French president was charming but also sent a message as Beijing searches for an EU partner

French president was charming but also sent a message as Beijing searches for an EU partner