China looks to France to foster ‘positive’ and ‘pragmatic’ EU policy on Beijing

In call with French leader’s diplomatic adviser, Chinese foreign minister plays up ‘independence’ and ‘autonomy’ of both countries
Chinese president expected to visit France early next month to mark six decades of ties

China-France relations

Zhuang Pinghuiin Beijing

Published: 1:59pm, 28 Apr 2024

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China has appealed to France to sway the European Union towards a “positive” and “pragmatic” China policy as the bloc tightens scrutiny of Chinese products and market access.

The appeal – just days ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected trip Europe – was delivered by Foreign Minister Wang Yi in a phone call to the French president’s diplomatic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, on Saturday.

“I hope the French side will push the EU to continue to pursue a positive and pragmatic policy towards China,” Wang said, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Xi will reportedly visit France as early as next Sunday to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Hungary has confirmed the Chinese president will visit on May 8-10 after a stopover at Serbia. China has yet to confirm the trip.

The trip is part of a flurry of exchanges between China and European countries as relations with the European Union come under intense strain from unprecedented trade imbalances and growing discontent in the bloc about lack of access to China’s market.

Last week the European Commission launched an investigation into alleged preferences given by Beijing to Chinese companies in the procurement of medical devices.

The bloc is also looking into whether Chinese manufacturers of green products such as wind turbines and solar panels have been subsidised by the state, giving them an edge in winning contracts in the EU.

In addition, Chinese-made electric vehicles are under scrutiny amid concerns that state support is translating into a price advantage in the EU market.

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Beijing is hoping that none of these investigations will lead to economic decoupling or hi-tech containment of China, a path being pursued by Washington.

To that end, it had urged European countries to exert their autonomy, an approach that partly aligns with French President Emmanuel Macron’s argument for a stronger, more independent EU.

After visiting China in April last year, Macron said the bloc should adopt strategic autonomy and not be a “vassal” in a US-China clash.

In the call on Saturday, Wang said Beijing and Paris pursued “independence and autonomy” and opposed “the division of the world and confrontation between camps”

He also said the international community expected both countries to have a “common voice”.

“At a time when the international situation is complex and volatile, with numerous challenges and hotspots, the international community expects China and France to form a unanimous stance on major issues concerning world peace and stability and the future and destiny of mankind, and to make a common voice,” Wang said.

“China is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with the French side … [and] promote cooperation between the two countries in various fields to a new level.”

The two sides agreed to cooperate on the development of artificial intelligence, continue to strengthen coordination in addressing climate change and provide “a favourable environment for enterprises of the two sides”, the ministry said without elaborating.

They also “coordinated” on international and regional issues of common concern, such as Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it added.

The ministry also quoted Bonne as saying: “The two sides should join hands to promote the de-escalation of hotspot issues, address global challenges such as climate change and make positive contributions to narrowing the gap between the North and the South and avoiding confrontation between camps.”