During his visit to Paris, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged not to criticise Beijing over the war in Ukraine. Bloomberg reports with reference to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that there can be no security in Europe without security in Ukraine. "We are at a historic turning point when threats have reached unprecedented levels and the risks of global fragmentation are significant," Macron said at a business conference attended by politicians.
Xi said that the conflict can only be resolved through negotiations involving both sides, and warned against using it as a tool to criticise China.
"We oppose the use of this crisis to place responsibility on a third country, tarnish its image and foment a new Cold War," Xi said.
Macron and Xi also called for a global ceasefire during the Olympic Games, which start in Paris in late July.
In addition, Xi Jinping said that China and France should "maintain mutual benefit and jointly oppose the separation and disruption of supply chains".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who joined the meeting, stressed afterwards that the EU is ready to deploy all possible tools to protect its economy if China does not offer fair access to its markets.
Commerce et accès au marché, concurrence équitable et investissement, situations en Ukraine et au Moyen-Orient : la relation entre la Chine et l’Europe, la coordination entre nous, est décisive. pic.twitter.com/hi0c3Tx2iB
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 6, 2024