Advertisement
Macron and Xi’s Guangzhou rendezvous a sign of China’s enthusiasm for French leader, analysts say
- In a rare meeting outside Beijing, French president to reunite with Chinese counterpart in southern metropolis on Friday after talks in capital city
- Macron will also meet investors and answer questions from university students while in the export powerhouse of Guangdong
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
93
In a bid to reset ties with Europe, Beijing is expected to launch a charm offensive to woo French President Emmanuel Macron, who landed in the Chinese capital on Wednesday afternoon for a three-day state visit.
Chinse observers said a rare meeting between Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping to be held outside the capital city on Friday highlighted Beijing’s enthusiasm towards the French leader and his attempt to carve his own “third way” of handling China without being confrontational.
Speaking upon his arrival in Beijing on Wednesday, the French president indicated France would seek engagement with China, especially in commercial areas.
Advertisement
“We must not disassociate ourselves, separate ourselves from China,” Macron said, adding that France would “commit proactively to continue to have a commercial relationship with China”.
Macron also said China “had a major role” to play in finding an end to the Ukraine war, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x