French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to deepen his personal connections with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to contribute to ending Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on April 29, citing its sources.
Xi will travel to the European Union for the first time in five years. The Chinese president will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia, and Hungary on May 5, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
"Those nations are seeking investment from China, despite a litany of EU probes into Beijing's industrial policy and the warnings from the officials in Washington about the risks," Bloomberg's article read.
China officially declares itself a neutral party to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, but Washington has continued to sound the alarm on Beijing's support of Moscow's defense-industrial expansion efforts.
During Xi's two-day visit to France, Macron wants to appeal to the Chinese president to urge his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Macron also aims to attract Chinese spending to the French electric vehicle (EV) battery industry, Bloomberg said.
The French president will host Xi for the dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris. After the meeting, Macron will invite Xi to the Pyrenees Mountains.
Macron will also hold a trilateral meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Xi during his visit, Eric Mamer, von der Leyen's spokesperson, said on April 29.
In recent months, Macron has become a vocal advocate of European defense, championing increased defense production and military aid for Ukraine.
During his April 25 speech at the Sorbonne University, the French president urged other EU states to strengthen their defenses and reconsider their role on the global stage, stressing the risks that Europe is currently facing.
In March, Macron called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "existential" for France and Europe. The president has also said he would not rule out the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine.
Chris York
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