China's President Xi Jinping arrives in Paris today for an unusual visit, with his French expected colleague Emmanuel Macron to pressure him to reduce the trade imbalance and try to convince him to use his influence on Russia in connection with the war that Moscow is waging in Ukraine, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Si arrives on a state visit to France today, the first leg of his European tour, which also includes visits to Hungary and Serbia.
Reuters points out that neither of Macron's two alleged intentions would be easy to implement during the two-day visit of the Chinese leader, who arrives in France at a time of trade tensions between China and Europe.
Reuters points out that France is supporting the EU in the investigation of Chinese electric car exports, and Beijing in turn launched an anti-dumping investigation against European brandy, mainly produced in France, in January this year.
"We must continue to press the Chinese authorities to give us firmer guarantees on trade issues,", an unnamed adviser to the Elysée Palace told Reuters.
The agency states that Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Paris around 4:00 p.m. local time today (5:00 p.m. Bulgarian time). This will be his first visit to Europe in five years.
Reuters also draws attention to the fact that in terms of Paris' desire for Beijing to influence Moscow to stop its military actions in Ukraine, progress is minimal. The exception to Macron's efforts is Xi's first phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, held shortly after the French head of state's visit to China last year.
"Given that China is one of Russia's main partners, our goal is to use its leverage in Moscow to change Russia's plans and contribute to the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine," the anonymous Reuters interlocutor.