The strong man from Beijing sends a clear signal with the objectives of his first trip to Europe since the corona pandemic.
Military tributes, a symbolic ceremony in the Invalides, a state banquet in the Élysée Palace in Paris and then on Tuesday a trip with the women to a town in the Pyrenees where Macron has often spent time with his grandmother since his youth – the protocol of The Chinese state visit of President Xi Jinping and his colleague Emmanuel Macron to France could not be more pompous. Xi will appreciate this on his first trip to Europe since the corona pandemic.
The visit, which was sometimes also attended by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was on the one hand about economic issues (the EU is mainly concerned about Chinese subsidies, for example in the construction of electric cars), on the other hand mainly about international politics.
Von der Leyen: “We rely on China”
“We count on China to use all its influence over Russia to end its war of aggression against Ukraine,” Von der Leyen said. The Chinese government should also make efforts to “prevent the supply of dual-use items to Russia that find their way into the battlefield.” Xi was cautious on Monday about the war in Ukraine. The position is officially neutral. Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China again in May.
Macron always tries to distance himself from the US and position France (and the EU) as their own player – Europe should never be a vassal of the US. China sees it the same way. “China and the EU should remain partners as two major world powers and continue to seek dialogue and cooperation,” Xi said.
And his trip is also a swipe at his rival the US: he will travel from France to Serbia and Hungary – two states always accused of being very close to Putin’s Russia.
Source: Krone
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