Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron held wide-ranging talks in Beijing, urging deeper cooperation despite major disagreements over Ukraine and trade.
Xi called the discussions “friendly, candid and fruitful,” stressing that China and France must “understand and support each other” on core interests, uphold multilateralism and show the “strategic value” of their partnership.
Macron said the two sides found “paths to convergence” but acknowledged ongoing disputes.
French President Emmanuel Macron met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, where he is expected to push the Chinese leader to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine, and discuss trade relationshttps://t.co/y7rLOgFPLf pic.twitter.com/eE9LwVrL31
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 4, 2025
Ukraine dominated the meeting. Macron pressed Beijing to help secure at least a ceasefire, calling the war a “vital threat” to Europe.
Xi repeated China’s push for negotiations while rejecting efforts to “smear China” for its ties with Moscow.
President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron @EmmanuelMacron jointly met the press after their talks. As agreed by the two presidents, the two sides will commit to working in the following four areas.
— Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) December 4, 2025
1⃣ Strengthening political mutual trust. The two sides will… pic.twitter.com/iqCvzRnhiE
Both governments signed 12 agreements spanning nuclear energy, aviation and panda conservation.
They also pledged to expand economic cooperation, even as Europe pushes back against Chinese industrial overcapacity.
Macron said Europe must remain a respected partner, while Xi warned that protectionism “cannot solve global restructuring.”
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TIPP Staff
