French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called on his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to “unite” their “forces” against the war in Ukraine, stressing that the “stability” of the world was also in China’s “interest”. It is necessary “to join forces to respond both to the major international challenges, you mentioned the climate issue to name just one and undoubtedly the most significant, but also to international crises such as the war launched by Russia in Ukraine for which the G20 constitutes an appropriate format”, he launched at the start of a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, which officially opens on Tuesday 15 November.
China has not condemned the Russian offensive in Ukraine launched on February 24 and remains very reluctant, like many southern countries, including Indonesia, to criticize Moscow, including at the G20 summit. The G20 is expected to issue a statement in which “most” members of the group strongly condemn the Russian offensive in Ukraine, however, a senior US official said on Tuesday.
The G20 summit must “reduce the tensions, the gaps that exist in the international environment and allow us to build what I believe is in the interests of both China and France, that is to say real stability, tangible elements of cooperation which allow us to bring back peace wherever the conflict has taken hold”, noted the French president.
The “stability” in the world
It must also contribute to “ensure economic prosperity, in particular for our middle classes, and do so while reducing (CO2) emissions and therefore winning the battle for the climate and biodiversity”, he said. . Emmanuel Macron also insisted on his “willingness to give new impetus to the resumption of cooperation” with China, particularly on the front of global warming.
Xi Jinping, for his part, called on France and Europe to work, alongside China, to strengthen “stability” in the world, without however mentioning the war in Ukraine. “China and France, China and Europe should ensure that their relationship develops on the right long-term track to inject stability and positive energy into the world,” said the Chinese leader. .
He also said he was ready to “strengthen cooperation” between China and France in order to “face together the global challenges of energy security, climate change (..) and sustainable development”. The meeting between the two leaders, which was held in the hotel of the Chinese delegation, lasted a little over 40 minutes, according to the Elysée. Emmanuel Macron sent his “Wishes of success for China” after the reappointment of Xi Jinping in October at the head of the Communist Party and the country.