China urges Europe to continue supporting free trade as French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné visits Beijing

Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells his French counterpart that Beijing is concerned about European efforts to ‘de-risk’ its relations with China

Meanwhile, Séjourné says Paris wants China to send Russia a ‘clear message’ about the war in Ukraine and help uphold international law

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French and Chinese Foreign Ministers Stéphane Séjourné and Wang Yi pictured at their joint press conference in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:00pm, 1 Apr 2024Updated: 9:00pm, 1 Apr 2024

Europe should “support free trade” with China and follow the “policies of openness”, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his visiting French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné on Monday.

Meanwhile, Séjourné told Wang that France wants China to send a “clear message” to Russia about the Ukraine war, adding that global trade depended on a just peace.

Séjourné, who was appointed to the post in January, told a joint press conference in Beijing: “We are convinced that there will be no lasting peace if it is not negotiated with the Ukrainians.

“There will be no security for Europeans if there is no peace in accordance with international law.

“It is an essential issue for us, which is why France is determined to maintain a close dialogue with China.”

He also raised concerns about North Korean and Iranian support for Russia, saying that would be a major escalation of the war.