Macron welcomes Chinese ‘commitments’ to refrain from selling ‘any weapon’ to Moscow

UPDATE

The French government announced on Monday that it will facilitate the issuance of visas for Chinese traveling for business or tourism to France, on the first day of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris. Issuing circulation visas for Chinese on business trips, as well as short-stay visas with multiple entries, will be “facilitated”, stated Matignon before an interministerial tourism committee (CIT) led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

This measure will allow these people to enter and leave French territory for various exhibitions and business meetings without having to apply for a visa at each entry. Also, they will be able to “continue to develop partnerships with local economic actors” (chambers of commerce, professional federations, etc.), stated the services of the prime minister.

“Instructions” were given to the consular network to give “priority treatment” to this category of people and “exchanges are underway” with the France-Visas program, “to better identify” these visa applications. Starting from the first semester of 2025, the entry and processing of visa applications for Chinese tourist groups on the France-Visas platform will also be “facilitated”. In 2023, Paris processed 180,000 visa applications for tourism and 60,000 for business.

UPDATE

Chinese President Xi Jinping asked in Paris on Monday not to “tarnish” his country’s name regarding the Ukrainian problem, saying that Beijing plays a “positive role” in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.

“We oppose using the Ukraine crisis to blame others, smear a third country and start a new Cold War,” Xi Jinping said, referring to recurring Western criticism of China-Russia relations. , in a press statement alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

UPDATE Macron and Xi discuss Chinese measures against French cognac

Emmanuel Macron also mentioned in the joint conference with the Chinese president Xi’s “desire” not to “see the implementation” of Chinese measures against French cognac.

“I also thank the president for his openness regarding the provisional measures regarding French cognac and his desire not to see them applied,” the French head of state declared in front of the press, alongside his Chinese counterpart, at the end of the meeting their bilateral in Paris.

French cognac is the subject of an anti-dumping duty investigation launched by the Chinese authorities. According to a list of gifts presented to the Chinese president and consulted by the French press, there is a bottle of Hennessy XO Cognac and a decanter of “Louis XIII” Cognac from Maison Rémy Martin. In addition to these spirits, Emmanuel Macron also presented Xi Jinping with several works by Victor Hugo, as well as the first French-Chinese dictionary, published in 1742, and a “flat, double-sided, multi-couche glass” bowl from from a glass workshop in Amboise (Indre-et-Loire).

UPDATE Macron welcomes the Chinese “commitments” to refrain from selling “any weapon” to Moscow.

Emmanuel Macron welcomes the Chinese “commitments” “to refrain from the sale of any weapon” and “any aid to Moscow”, in a press statement in Paris alongside President Xi Jinping.

Macron emphasized respect for the ancient ties between China and Russia and welcomed the commitments of the Chinese authorities to refrain from selling any weapons, any aid to Moscow and to strictly control the export of dual-use goods with military potential.

In the context of Russia’s “war against Ukraine”, Macron expressed a desire to maintain a close dialogue with China to ensure that Beijing does not clearly support Russia’s war efforts. Macron also stressed that the West is not looking for regime change in Moscow.

The French president also welcomed the “will” of his Chinese counterpart to ask “all parties involved” in the various conflicts for an “Olympic truce” during the Olympic Games in Paris this year.

Initial news

Xi Jinping began a state visit to France, where he expressed his desire to work with Emmanuel Macron to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and to continue investing in Hexagon.

Macron welcomed Chinese pledges to refrain from arms sales to Moscow and thanked Xi for his support for an Olympic truce.

Trade was at the center of the meeting, with Macron calling for fair rules for trade between Europe and China. Coordination on the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East was highlighted as crucial, with the EU and China having a common interest in peace and security.

The Chinese superpower’s number one assures that the two countries are able to “deepen their innovation cooperation to promote green development”, as is already the case with battery factories, and hopes that France will provide its enterprises with “a climate fair and just business”.