‘France always a Chinese priority’: in Europe to mend ties, top diplomat Wang Yi urges Macron to avoid decoupling

Director of China’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission meets French president and foreign minister to encourage free trade and cooperation
His last European stop is expected to be Moscow in the lead-up to the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

China-EU relations

Lo Hoi-ying

Published: 2:03pm, 16 Feb 2023

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Beijing has urged France against decoupling from China, calling on Paris to boost tech cooperation and provide a fair environment for Chinese businesses amid a chip ban by the United States.

Wang Yi, director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, began a week-long Europe trip by meeting French President Emmanuel Macron behind closed doors at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday before talks with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna later that day.

According to a Xinhua report, one of Wang’s key messages to Macron was that China has always regarded France as a priority for cooperation and is willing to engage in more high-level exchanges.

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In the meeting with Colonna, Wang was quoted by Xinhua as saying: “As globalisation encounters headwinds and individual countries engage in decoupling and disconnection, China and France should continue to practise multilateralism, defend free trade and strengthen international scientific and technological cooperation.

“It is hoped that the French side will provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.”

Wang said China was willing to open up new prospects for Sino-French relations, inject new impetus into the development of China-EU relations, push for greater international cooperation and help tackle global challenges.

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It is Wang’s first trip to Europe since he took the top foreign ministry job last year, and he is expected to seek improved ties with European countries ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine war.

It comes amid rising tensions between China and the US in recent weeks after the Americans downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

The Netherlands, home to the world’s leader in lithography machines for producing semiconductors, reportedly agreed last month to a US request to tighten export controls of chip manufacturing equipment and technologies to China.

The EU has backed the US’ resolve to block China’s access to advanced semiconductor chip technology and is expected to pass its own version of the chip ban this year.

During their meeting, Wang and Macron also exchanged “in-depth views about the Ukraine issue”. Wang emphasised that China “adheres to an objective and impartial stance on the issue and is committed to promoting peace talks”.

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According to a readout from the French government, both parties “expressed the same objective of contributing to peace in accordance with international law”.

Wang – the former foreign minister who was promoted to Beijing’s 24-member Politburo last year – will also visit EU member states Italy, Germany and Hungary. Wang is expected to speak at the Munich Security Conference that starts on Friday.

His final stop is expected to be Moscow in the lead-up to the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Observers said Wang’s itinerary suggested that while China might be keen to patch things up with the EU, it had no intention of abandoning Russia.

The Sino-Russian relationship has cast a dark cloud over EU-China affairs since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Beijing has so far refused to condemn Russia, leading to suspicion among European nations about China-Russia relations.