Trade and Ukraine: Media finds out what Macron and Xi will talk about in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping to reduce trade imbalances and will try to persuade Russia to use its influence in the war in Ukraine. This, according to Reuters, will be discussed during Xi’s visit to France, which begins on Sunday, May 5.

Neither goal will be easily achieved during Xi’s two-day stay in France, where he arrives amid rising trade tensions between Europe and China, the agency said.

France supports a European Union investigation into Chinese electric car exports, and in January Beijing launched an investigation into brandy imports, which are mainly produced in France. The move is widely seen as retaliation amid a growing number of EU investigations.

“We must continue to insist that the Chinese authorities give us more guarantees on trade issues,” an Elysee Palace adviser said ahead of Xi’s visit, his first trip to Europe in five years.

France is also keen to persuade China to press Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, but little progress has been made despite Xi’s decision to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since Macron’s visit to Beijing last year.

“China is one of Russia’s main partners, our goal is to use the leverage it has in Moscow to change Russia’s calculus and help resolve the conflict,” the Elysee Palace adviser said.

Xi will leave France on Tuesday afternoon for Russia-friendly Serbia and Hungary.

We remind you that Chinese leader Xi Jinping will make state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10.