Emmanuel Macron was greeted by hundreds of students at a university in China today at the end of a three-day visit during which he repeatedly urged his counterpart Xi Jinping to help end the conflict in Ukraine.
The French president, who landed in the capital Beijing on Wednesday, said he was trying to dissuade China from helping its ally Russia invade its neighbor.
This morning he flew to the southern city of Guangzhou, where he was mobbed by hundreds of students desperate for a selfie or a high-five with the leader – a stark contrast to the hundreds of thousands of protesters, some of whom lit bonfires. of his favorite restaurants in Paris amid riots over pension reform.
La Rotonde – where Macron celebrated his election victory in 2017 – was the target of Molotov cocktails. The venue’s chic canopy was in ruins and some windows were smashed last night as police arrested 20 people in the area.
Macron, whose name was chanted by some in the Guangzhou crowd, then spoke to students at the campus gym and answered their questions before an early dinner with Xi before meetings with Chinese investors and a flight home.
It comes after France’s leader Xi met in Beijing for talks on Thursday and ultimately failed to encourage him to change his stance on Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron visits Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou on April 7, 2023
Students harassed the French president as he strolled on the grounds in front of the University Hall
Chinese students await the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou on April 7, 2023
PARIS – Meanwhile, angry protesters in Paris set fire to one of Macron’s favorite restaurants amid ongoing anger over his pension reform
Workers repair the sign of La Rotonde restaurant in Paris, which was partially set on fire during protests
An effigy burns during a demonstration in Place d’Italie on the 11th day of action after the government pushed through a pension reform without a vote in Parliament in Paris on April 6, using Article 49.3 of the Constitution.
Putin’s foray into his neighbor dominated Macron’s visit, his first visit to China since 2019.
READ MORE: ‘Bring Putin to his senses,’ Emmanuel Macron tells Xi as he visits China for lavish state reception
He told students in Guangzhou that the war was “a blatant violation of our international law.”
Russia, Macron said, is “a country that decided to colonize its neighbor and not respect the rules.”
“The international order is now weakened and we, China and France, have a responsibility to preserve it and reinvent it in the light of the realities of the 21st century,” he said.
Macron also urged them to adopt a “critical mind” that would enable them to become “free, rational individuals” – another stark contrast to the rigid, state-controlled education to which Chinese students are subjected.
In his talks with Xi on Thursday, Macron said: “I can count on you to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone to the negotiating table.”
A French diplomat told AFP that Xi was ready to talk to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only when the time was right.
At a press conference after the talks, Macron gave a long speech that overshadowed the Chinese leader’s brief statements, a political “faux pas” that appeared to anger Xi, who sighed and shifted his weight uncomfortably as Macron walked away .
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is accompanying Macron on his visit, welcomed Xi’s openness to talk to Zelenskyy.
Unlike the pleasant Macron, von der Leyen struck a firm note this week in her talks with Chinese officials.
On Thursday, she said she had conveyed to officials her “deep concern about the deteriorating human rights record” and warned Beijing that arms sales to Russia would “significantly affect relations”.
French President Emmanuel Macron (L) meets and talks with Chinese students during his visit to Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, April 7, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron talk before a tea ceremony on April 7 at the Guandong provincial governor’s residence in Guangzhou, China
Macron and Xi drink tea at the Guandong Provincial Governor’s Residence in Guangzhou
Macron gestures as he speaks to students at Sun Yat-sen University
President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron after the signing ceremony in Beijing April 6, 2023
President Xi Jinping holds a trilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
However, Moscow poured cold water on the prospect of Beijing’s mediation, insisting on Thursday that it had “no choice” but to continue its Ukraine offensive.
“China undoubtedly has a very effective and impressive mediation potential,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“But the situation with Ukraine is complex, so far there are no prospects for a political solution.”
In addition to the war in Ukraine, Macron’s visit also aimed to strengthen an important trade partnership.
The French market leader is supported in China by more than 50 French corporate executives, including top bosses from Airbus, EDF and Veolia.
Airbus announced on Thursday that it will open a second final assembly line in China that will double production capacity in the country, setting the framework for the agreement signed by CEO Guillaume Faury in Beijing.
Asia has become an important market for both Airbus and its US rival Boeing as demand for air travel increases with a growing middle class.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
