France’s Emmanuel Macron and China’s Xi Jinping have agreed to work together to secure peace in Ukraine and to resume high-level strategic and economic talks with annual meetings between the two presidents.
In a joint statement at the end of Mr Macron’s three-day visit to China, the two leaders also warned against attacks on nuclear facilities and called for more humanitarian aid to the conflict zone.
“We support all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law and on the basis of the intention and principles of the United Nations Charter,” the statement said.
“Both countries stress the importance that all parties to the conflict must scrupulously observe international humanitarian law. In particular, they call for the protection of women and children, victims of conflict, and to increase humanitarian assistance to conflict zones, and to provide safe, rapid and unhindered access to humanitarian aid in accordance with international commitments.”
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Mr Macron received a lavish welcome from Mr Xi, who took him to the southern city of Guangzhou on Friday, where the two men drank tea in a former home of the Chinese president’s father.
At the city’s elite Sun Yat-sen University earlier in the day, students cheered the French president as they crowded around him to shake his hand.
Asked by a student what he thought were the most important skills to ensure a bright future, Mr Macron cited critical thinking. “Critical thinking is just as important as access to knowledge,” he said. “That’s what makes you a free and emancipated individual.”
Mr Macron’s elaborate reception, including ceremonial guards of honour and a state banquet, contrasted with the pared-down welcome for European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who joined him for part of the visit.
Ms von der Leyen had a bilateral meeting with Mr Xi and joined him and Mr Macron for lunch but she was offered little diplomatic ceremony.
Mr Macron was accompanied by more than 50 French business executives and his joint communiqué with Mr Xi stressed the importance of developing the economic relationship between the two countries. China promised to improve market access for French companies and France said it would treat Chinese telecoms firm Huawei fairly.
“Both countries are working to provide a good environment for business co-operation, to improve companies’ access to the market of the other, to improve the business environment, and to ensure compliance with the intellectual property rights of all companies in both countries,” the statement said.
“In the field of the digital economy, including 5G, the French side undertakes to continue the fair and non-discriminatory treatment of licence applications from Chinese companies on the basis of laws and regulations, including the national security of both countries.”
Mr Macron reaffirmed France’s commitment to the One China policy that recognises Beijing as the only legitimate government of China and does not recognise the government of Taiwan. Ms Von der Leyen made the same commitment on behalf of the EU on Thursday.
