Ukraine, climate... Macron receives the head of Chinese diplomacy

Emmanuel Macron will receive the head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi in Paris on Wednesday to discuss the war in Ukraine and cooperation in the face of the climate crisis, at a time when tensions are once again exacerbated between China and the United States

Ukraine, climate... Macron receives the head of Chinese diplomacy

Emmanuel Macron will receive the head of Chinese diplomacy Wang Yi in Paris on Wednesday to discuss the war in Ukraine and cooperation in the face of the climate crisis, at a time when tensions are once again exacerbated between China and the United States. This interview comes in the wake of the meeting between the French president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Bali on November 15, the Elysee Palace said on Tuesday.

"It will allow discussions on the war in Ukraine and its consequences to continue," added the French presidency. Emmanuel Macron then asked Xi Jinping, who did not condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine launched almost a year ago, to try to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to return to the "negotiating table". The two men had also discussed the "principle" of a visit by the French president to China in early 2023. While no date has yet been set, preparation for such a trip could be discussed during Wednesday's meeting in the Elysee.

"It will also be a question of cooperation with China in the face of global challenges, in the forefront of which are the climate, biodiversity and the financing of transitions", according to the French presidency, in particular with a view to the summit on forests that Emmanuel Macron will co-chair. in early March in Gabon, and the "summit for a new Global Financial Compact" which he will host in June in France. Wang Yi will be received at 12 p.m. by the president, before meeting with the head of French diplomacy Catherine Colonna in the evening.

He is due to participate in the Munich Security Conference at the end of the week, which Emmanuel Macron and US Vice-President Kamala Harris are also expected to attend. This visit comes at a time when Sino-American warming attempts were stopped dead by the overflight of the United States by a Chinese balloon, shot down on February 4 by Washington, which accused Beijing of espionage despite China's denials. During his visit to the United States in early December, Emmanuel Macron and his American counterpart Joe Biden pledged to "coordinate" their countries' response to the "challenges posed by China".