Chinese President Xi Jinping meets French President Emmanuel Macron after a stop in Monaco
- Exceptional security deployed during Xi’s visits to Monaco and France
- Xi’s official visit to Paris starting on Monday will mark 55 years since Charles de Gaulle established diplomatic relations with Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met for dinner in the south of France on Sunday ahead of official talks with the host leader seeking to forge a united European front to contend with Beijing’s advances.
“Very happy to welcome President Xi Jinping and his wife to France,” Macron wrote in a tweet. “This visit will strengthen our strategic partnership and affirm the role of France, Europe and China towards a strong multi-lateralism.”
Xi earlier arrived at the resort city of Nice accompanied by his wife, Peng Liyuan, to be welcomed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and an honour guard.
Before meeting with Macron, Xi went to the nearby principality of Monaco, where he was received by Prince Albert II and where a government spokesman said bilateral talks would “address economic and environmental issues”.
Xi, who has made a priority of establishing China as a global player, travelled from Italy, whose government became the first G7 state to sign up to his landmark new “Silk Road” infrastructure project, a massive undertaking to join Asia to Europe.
Washington and some EU states fear the huge project will give China too much sway. But Xi says it would be a two-way street of investment and trade.