The leaders of China, France, Germany and the EU met in Paris yesterday for “unprecedented” talks on how to improve ties, despite growing jitters over Beijing’s massive investments in Europe.
The meeting came ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month and a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) signed an array of deals with France, including a huge aircraft contract.
At a glitzy state dinner on Monday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron said he hoped to build a “new global governance” with China and would discuss this at the “unprecedented meeting with the German chancellor and the president of the European Commission.”
Photo: Reuters
“This is an important gesture that we are making now. It is a testament to your deep attachment to China’s cooperation with Europe ... and my desire to build a strong Europe,” Macron told Xi.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker joined Xi and Macron at the Elysee Palace to explore “points of convergence” between the two trading giants.
On Monday, China and France inked a dozen deals worth about US$40 billion on nuclear power, cultural exchanges and clean energy. Beijing also committed to buying Airbus A320s and A350 airliners.
Xi’s visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to deepen EU ties with China while pushing back against Beijing’s growing global clout.
Speaking at the Elysee Palace on Monday following talks with Xi, Macron called for a “strong Europe-China partnership,” adding that the relationship must be based on “strong multilateralism” and “fair and balanced” trade.
Meanwhile, Xi stressed that “a united and prosperous Europe fits in with our vision of a multipolar world.”
“China will always back European integration and its development,” he added in a news release.
About 200 guests, including French actor Alain Delon, who is widely known in China, French electronic music composer Jean-Michel Jarre and Chinese actress Gong Li (鞏俐) attended the state dinner.
Europe’s distrust of China’s Huawei Technologies Co (華為), which is poised to become the dominant player in 5G mobile technology worldwide, is emblematic of a rocky relationship.
The US is pressuring European allies not to use Huawei technology, saying that it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on sensitive communications.
France has so far not ruled out using Huawei technology.
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