The two leaders spoke on the phone Tuesday, October 26th. The essential, for China, is to improve a relationship with Europe that has deteriorated since March.
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The French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone, Tuesday, October 26, with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and their reports differ less on the tone – the hour is more of the cooperation than to the systemic rivalry – only on the content. According to the Chinese statement, Xi Jinping indicated that “China attaches great importance to the development of its relations with France”. The Chinese text also starts on the areas in which bilateral cooperation could be strengthened: civil nuclear, aeronautics, but also artificial intelligence, biopharmacy and ocean affairs. It also pleads for the development of “tripartite cooperation in Africa and elsewhere”.
But, at a time when the German Chancellor Angela Merkel leaves power, and where France will take in the first half of 2022 the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), the essential, for China, is to improve a relationship with Europe that has deteriorated since March. Brussels had sanctioned representatives of Chinese power in Xinjiang, because of the suppression of the Ouygoure minority, and in retaliation, Beijing had targeted diplomats, parliamentarians and European researchers. In a barely veiled reference to the Franco-American litigation on the sale of nuclear propulsion submarines to Australia, Xi Jinping said that “the multiple major international events of recent times have once again demonstrated that the fact that the France is right to promote the strategic autonomy of the European Union “.
For his part, the Elysee’s statement begins with European issues: “The Head of State has called for the rebalancing of the Eurochinese relationship in the direction of greater reciprocity, particularly in terms of access to the market. “Emmanuel Macron” also called for China to adopt a constructive approach by raising the coercive measures taken against Member States of the European Union and representatives of the European Institutions and Parliament, as well as Commitments made on the ratification of the International Labor Conventions [ILO] and the fight against forced labor “.
This last request was one of the conditions laid down by the twenty-seven, France, for the conclusion, at the end of 2020, of a controversial agreement between China and the EU on investments. But in May, the European Parliament has conditioned its ratification of the lifting of the sanctions taken by Beijing against MEPs. A request to his account by the Elysee, before considering any resumption of the debates on the agreement.
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