Macron to Xi: “I know I can count on you to make Russia see reason”

The President of France, Emmanuel Macronhe told his Chinese counterpart today, Xi Jinpingthat a peace in Ukraine “must respect the attacked people, which is the Ukrainians”, after a meeting held in Beijing as part of his visit to the Asian country.

Macron recalled that “a country decided to violate the United Nations charter”, referring to Russiaand warned that there cannot be a “stable security organization in Europe” while a country on the continent is occupied.

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Although the French president considered that both Beijing and Paris want to “protect international law,” he also noted that “respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” is the “condition for lasting peace.”

“I know I can count on you to make sense to Russia and to bring the whole world to the negotiating table.”, indicated Macron, who added that “Russian aggression against Ukraine has dealt a blow to world stability and has put an end to decades of peace in Europe.”

During a joint statement to the press after their meeting in the Chinese capital, Macron said that “find a lasting peace that respects internationally recognized borders and avoids any form of escalation” of the situation.

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Workers move tables after a signing session as French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) wait to read their remarks to the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 6 April. April 2023. (Photo: EFE/EPA/Ng Han Guan / POOL)

Macron spoke after Xi, who in turn had urged his French counterpart for both countries to maintain a “reasonable” attitude aimed at “avoiding a worsening of the situation in Ukraine.”

The French president stressed the “opportunity” to hold a Sino-European discussion with the president of the European Commission after his meeting with Xi. Ursula von der Leyenalso in Beijing and who after the tripartite session will meet alone with the Chinese president.

“I think it is an opportunity to make progress on some of the issues that concern us”, Macron stated. Likewise, the French president expressed France’s desire to continue, together with China, “the fight against climate change” and work in areas such as “biodiversity, food security and a new financial association.”

“We know the differences that exist between our models and we will talk about them in a frank and respectful way”said Macron, who, although he pointed out that “much remains to be done”, welcomed the resumption of in-person contacts with the Asian giant, which suspended almost all visits by foreign leaders during the “zero covid” policy. ‘ between 2020 and the end of 2022.

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Macron is the second European leader to travel to China -after the Spanish Pedro Sanchez last week – since Xi met the Russian president in Moscow, Vladimir Putin, to expose his peace proposals for the war in Ukraine and show the strength of their relationship.

On Friday, Macron will travel to the southern city of Guangdong, where he will meet Chinese students from Sun Yat-Sen University and Chinese investors, as well as have dinner with Xi again.

The local media highlight that this will be the first time that a French president visits the city and affirm that a large part of the delegation that the president accompanies has economic interests in the region, such as Airbus, EDF, Alstom or Veolia, so in the trip will seek to close commercial agreements.

Source: Elcomercio