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Xi, Macron hold talks as France seeks EU unity on China
PARIS, March 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping and his
French counterpart Emmanuel Macron were due to hold talks in Paris on Monday
with the host leader seeking to forge a united European front to contend with
Beijing’s advances.
Xi’s official visit to Paris will mark 55 years since Charles de Gaulle
established diplomatic relations with Beijing.
A series of cooperation deals on nuclear power, aerospace and clean energy
initiatives, some involving lucrative contracts, are expected to be signed.
On Tuesday, Macron and Xi will be joined by German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore “points of
convergence” ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month.
“Very happy to welcome President Xi Jinping and his wife to France,”
Macron wrote in a tweet Sunday.
“This visit will strengthen our strategic partnership and affirm the role
of France, Europe and China towards a strong multi-lateralism.”
Amid tight security, the Chinese and French first couples on Sunday
evening enjoyed a private dinner at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, near Nice on the French
Riviera.
Macron offered Xi a French translation of Confucius dating from the 17th
century, while Xi gave his host a precious vase depicting images of the two
countries including a panda and a rooster.
Xi earlier arrived at the resort city of Nice accompanied by his wife Peng
Liyuan to be welcomed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and a
guard of honour.
Prior to the dinner meeting with Macron, Xi went to the nearby
principality of Monaco, where he was received by Prince Albert II and where a
government spokesman said talks would “address economic and environmental
issues”.
Xi, who has made a priority of establishing China as a global player,
travelled from Italy, whose government became the first G7 state to sign up
to his landmark new “Silk Road” infrastructure project, a massive undertaking
to join Asia to Europe.
Washington and some EU states fear the huge project will give China too
much sway. But Xi says it would be a two-way street of investment and trade.
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Germany criticised Rome over its participation in the new Silk Road
project.
“In a world with giants like China, Russia or our partners in the United
States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU,” Foreign Minister
Heiko Maas told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
“And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the
Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves
dependent.”
As well as addressing commercial cooperation and strategic issues with Xi,
Macron has also been urged to deal with the case of Chinese former Interpol
head Meng Hongwei.
Meng’s wife has had no news of her husband since his arrest in China
nearly six months ago and it emerged Sunday she has written to Macron asking
him to bring up his disappearance with Xi.
He is believed to be facing corruption charges.
– China as EU ‘rival’ –
But Xi’s visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to
deepen EU ties with China while also pushing back against Beijing’s growing
global clout.
Europe’s distrust of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is poised to
become the dominant player in next-generation 5G mobile technology worldwide,
is emblematic of the increasingly rocky relationship.
Monaco, which notably is eyeing a share of Chinese luxury tourism and has
its own foreign policy, only last year signed an accord with Huawei to make
the principality the first country entirely covered by the company’s 5G
mobile network by year end.
The US is pressuring European allies to not use the Huawei technology,
saying it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on
sensitive communications.
But France has not ruled out using Huawei gear.
Beijing has accused Washington of trying to escalate President Donald
Trump’s trade battle with China.
– ‘Reality very different’ –
Despite the many sources of friction, France wants to engage China as a
closer partner as Washington makes a pointed withdrawal from global affairs
under Trump’s “America First” policy.
For example, Macron may seek more Chinese support of the French-backed G5
Sahel force fighting Islamist extremists in Western Africa.
China has been investing heavily in a diplomatic offensive across Africa,
promising to help build infrastructure projects as part of the new Silk Road
initiative.
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