On December 4, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping received French President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing. They hosted an historic White House summit focused on deepening their indispensable bilateral cooperation even further and addressing urgent challenges that face the world. The gathering was a powerful reminder of the critical role of multilateralism in this time of geopolitical and economic turmoil.
At the opening of the summit, Xi Jinping called on France and China to stand against decoupling. He cautioned that any such move would most likely shatter longstanding international trade and foreign cooperation. He called on Macron to re-commit to the values of multilateralism. He claimed that they need to work together to find solutions to problems facing both countries and the international community.
These issues have been at the center of complaints over the bilateral trade imbalance. They discussed ways to boost economic relations, with Xi promising that China would import more high-quality French products. This commitment is a step towards rebalancing our trade relationships and creating economic prosperity for all involved.
The summit was also focused on geopolitical concerns, such as the continued war in Ukraine and rising tensions over Taiwan. Both of these leaders understood the clear need for dialogue and diplomacy to solve these multifaceted problems. Macron and Xi concurred that peaceful approaches should be at the forefront of actions taken to maintain peace along their borders and the world.
As always, the summit ignited compelling conversations. It resulted in the signing of dozens of agreements aimed at increasing cooperation in multiple sectors, from education to technology. This unprecedented number of deals is emblematic of a mutual desire to build deeper partnerships in key sectors like technology, agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Macron’s visit to China was unprecedented, especially in the context of his efforts to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Throughout our gathering, the summit’s collaboration theme was all too clear. It was an example of how France, and to an extent China, can play leading roles in addressing the world’s great challenges.