From human rights to the Ukraine war to the trade dispute – there is no shortage of topics during China’s state and party leader Xi’s visit to France. This is probably why Macron has brought in diplomatic reinforcements.
On the day before the state visit, representatives of the Muslim Uighurs gather in front of the Église de la Madeleine in the middle of Paris. On posters they demand, among other things, an end to forced labor and political re-education camps. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the political and cultural oppression of the Uighurs in China.
Dilnur Reyhan from the Institut d’Ouïghours d’Europe is horrified that the Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping was even invited – and makes clear demands on the host Emmanuel Macron: “Since he has already invited him, he now has to have the courage muster up the courage to tell him that the re-education camps must be dismantled and the thousands of Uyghurs still locked up in these camps and prisons must be released.”
Ukraine is the central topic of the talks
In a newspaper interview on Sunday, the French president assured that he would address the sensitive issue of human rights in China. However, the focus of the state visit is on international issues – especially the war in Ukraine.
Macron hopes to actively involve China in resolving the conflict. An over-ambitious goal, believes Marc Julienne. He heads the Asia department at the French Institute for International Relations, or IFRI for short. Julienne believes there are not many levers that can be used to get China to move. “France has two goals: first, that Xi influence Vladimir Putin. And second, that China itself does not further increase its military support for Russia. However, in the end, I believe this hope is in vain.”
From the French perspective, the war in Ukraine is an almost existential threat to Europe. China, on the other hand, does not see him as its problem, says Julienne – and basically wants to keep its distance. The main aim of the state visit is likely to be to point out to China the contradictions in its stance towards Ukraine.
Trade conflict as a topic
Trade policy is also on the agenda. France, for example, fears that Chinese electric cars will flood the European market. Macron explicitly addressed and clearly criticized Chinese economic protectionism in his Sorbonne speech.
Accordingly, a “European preference” is needed in strategically important economic sectors such as defense and space. “We must also have the ability to restrict free competition to protect key sectors that are in transition: these include artificial intelligence and green technologies. It is the only possible answer to the Chinese and American policies of over-subsidization.”
Von der Leyen will also be there
On the first day of the state visit, Macron is bringing reinforcements to Paris: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also be there. A clear signal that Macron is placing French China policy in a European context, says expert Julienne. He sees a difference here to Germany’s China policy.
Both Macron in April 2023 and Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to China a few weeks ago with an extensive economic agenda. “But the difference is that the French president already had a very clear political goal last year: namely Ukraine. The second difference is the European dimension, which is crucial for Macron’s strategy towards China. You never have this European dimension with the Chancellor noted.”
A diplomatic balancing act
Last week, Scholz and Macron met for a meal in Paris – purely privately, as the Élysée emphasizes. However, both of them probably took the opportunity to agree on the main lines in dealing with China before the state visit.
It is a state visit that has already caused reactions in advance – and is also a diplomatic balancing act for the always self-confident Macron.
Carolin Dylla, ARD Paris, tagesschau, May 6, 2024 6:17 a.m