Macron begins China visit amid calls for European sincerity
In Beijing, Macron is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and top legislator Zhao Leji before traveling Friday to Chengdu, a major southwestern city. Discussions are expected to cover bilateral relations, trade tensions including U.S. tariffs, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The visit coincides with significant trade flows between China and the EU, which reached roughly $785.8 billion last year, alongside smaller symbolic initiatives such as panda diplomacy.
Political observers note that while Macron’s trip carries symbolic weight, it demonstrates Europe’s intention to maintain dialogue with China and avoid being fully drawn into U.S.-led containment strategies. Einar Tangen, a senior fellow at a Beijing-based institute, explained that Europe’s calls for China to limit supplies to Russia amid the Ukraine conflict are largely “unrealistic.” According to analysts, Beijing positions itself as neutral, emphasizing dialogue and peace proposals while maintaining its strategic ties with Moscow.
Tangen added that China views European moves toward strategic independence as largely performative: “China sees this as more theater than substance — Europe wants to appear independent, but its economic and security reliance on the US makes the (Macron) visit more of a gesture than a strategic pivot.”
Analysts suggest that Beijing expects Macron’s trip to result in warm words, vague commitments to dialogue, and perhaps some trade announcements. While China will publicly welcome engagement, it is likely to privately view Europe’s approach as cautious and constrained by U.S. policy, while still assessing whether Europe demonstrates genuine sincerity and a shift in attitude.
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