Xi Jinping’s visit to France | Euro-Chinese tensions on trade but common call for an “Olympic truce”

(Paris) Xi Jinping was able to note on Monday, at the start of his state visit to France, a new firmness displayed by Europeans in the face of accumulating trade tensions, and more consensually provided his support for the “truce Olympic” defended by Emmanuel Macron.

For the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, the Chinese president was welcomed in Paris by his French counterpart who still hopes to position his country as a “balancing power” in the face of the Sino-American standoff.

Welcome with fanfare at the Invalides, red carpet and banquet at the Élysée: for his first European tour since 2019, the number one of the Asian superpower was entitled to every respect.

But the leaders, joined at the start of the day by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, did not try to hide the tensions which are accumulating on trade.

Emmanuel Macron explained that he wanted to raise “concerns in all friendship and trust”, to try to overcome them”, calling for “fair” trade rules.

“Firm decisions”

The European Union “will not hesitate to take firm decisions” to “protect its economy and its security”, underlined Ursula Von der Leyen

She was present to display a united continental front on trade issues, even if Germany is often accused of going it alone to preserve its car exports to the world’s second largest economy.

The head of the European executive had previously warned that Europe could “not accept” “unfair trade” caused by the influx of electric vehicles or Chinese steel manufactured thanks to “massive subsidies”.

“The so-called “problem of China’s overcapacity” does not exist,” Xi Jinping replied dryly, estimating that “China’s new energy industry” on the contrary “made it possible to increase global supply and to alleviate the pressure of global inflation.

Threatened to be caught between the American and Chinese economies, massively aided by public authorities, the European Union has in recent months increased investigations into Chinese state subsidies to several industrial sectors, particularly electric vehicles.

In Beijing, European measures are considered “protectionist”. Chinese authorities have launched their own anti-subsidy investigation mainly targeting French cognac.

Cognac as a gift

Emmanuel Macron opportunely offered his guest bottles of the Charentais spirit, before welcoming, in front of the press, the Chinese “wish” not to impose “provisional” customs taxes immediately.

Pleading for “a framework of fair competition”, he assured that the discussion had made it possible to “clarify” disagreements “to clean up the economic relationship and give it new impetus”.

More broadly, the international situation “requires this Euro-Chinese dialogue more than ever”, affirmed the French head of state, while some of his opponents, such as the Socialist candidate for the European elections in June Raphaël Glucksmann, criticize him to “roll out the red carpet” in an “obsequious” manner to a “dictator”.

During a tête-à-tête, which he will repeat on Tuesday during a more personal getaway in the Pyrenees, he was able to discuss in more depth the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

After calling for “decisive” coordination on this sensitive issue, Emmanuel Macron welcomed Chinese “commitments” “to refrain from selling any weapons” to Moscow, and to “strictly control the export of dual-use goods” which can be used for military purposes.

While Xi Jinping must soon welcome his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, of whom he remains the main ally, the French president welcomed a “moment of coordination” which will make it possible to “identify the desire or not to move towards this lasting peace” that Paris and Beijing are calling for.

France wants to at least ensure that China, Moscow’s main ally, does not fall into clear support for its war effort against Kyiv. Even “encourage her to use the levers” she has over Vladimir Putin to “contribute to a resolution of this conflict”, according to the Élysée, which nevertheless says it is “lucid” about the fact that no breakthrough is to be expected. wait overnight.

Do not “dirty” Beijing

The Chinese president defended his “positive role” in finding a political solution, and called for not “smearing” China through the Ukrainian issue.

He also publicly called, together with Emmanuel Macron, “for a truce throughout the world on the occasion of the Paris Olympic Games” from July 26 to August 11.

According to a French diplomatic Source, this truce could serve, with regard to Ukraine, to initiate a more political process, even if Western demands (Russian withdrawal and respect for Ukrainian territorial integrity) remain unchanged.

But Xi Jinping continues to show his support for Russia, and will go after France to Serbia and Hungary, two countries that have remained close to Moscow.

On the sensitive issue of human rights, Emmanuel Macron warned that he preferred to discuss “disagreements” rather “behind closed doors”.

Several thousand Tibetans, according to their representatives, demonstrated on Sunday in Paris against the visit of Xi Jinping to France, a “country of human rights” which welcomes “a dictator”.