China confirms Xi Jinping’s European tour will include visits to France, Serbia and Hungary

Meeting with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron will mark his first visit to the country for five years

Trip comes amid growing trade tensions with EU following the launch of a series of probes into alleged subsidies

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Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping pictured with their wives Brigitte Macron and Peng Liyuan at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during the Chinese leader’s 2019 visit. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:37pm, 29 Apr 2024Updated: 7:30pm, 29 Apr 2024

China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will visit Europe next month, travelling to France, Serbia and Hungary between May 5 and 10.

The visit comes at a crucial time amid escalating trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels and with Russia’s war in Ukraine continuing.

The trip to France, where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron, will be Xi’s first in five years.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said China looked forward to working with France to further improve political mutual trust and cooperation through Xi’s visit, which could also “inject stability into the development of China-Europe relations and make new contributions to peace and stability in the world”.

Macron had promised to visit China every year while in office and he expects these visits to be reciprocated by China’s leader.

The foreign ministry also said that Xi would discuss upgrading China-Serbia relations when he met his counterpart Aleksandar Vučić.

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