Chinese president Xi Jinping on Thursday warned against any escalation of the crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and repeated a call for peace talks, but did not publicly commit to playing a more active role in influencing Moscow.
He spoke after a first round of meetings in Beijing with French president Emmanuel Macron, who had earlier urged him to “bring Russia to its senses” and “back to the negotiating table” at the beginning of a three-day state visit.
“We call for restarting peace talks as soon as possible . . . taking into account the legitimate security needs of different parties . . . while building a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture,” said Xi, who did not mention Russia by name.
“China and France hereby urge the international community to remain restrained and rational and avoid any steps that might escalate the crisis or even let it get out of control,” he added.
Along with other European leaders, Macron has been seeking to convince Xi to use his close relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin to help lay the groundwork for a negotiated end to the conflict, although Élysée Palace officials acknowledge privately that the effort may not succeed in the short term.
The palace also unveiled a series of deals for French businesses in China, underscoring economic links between the nations after Macron travelled there with about 50 business leaders.
Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who is also on the trip, had previously warned China there would be consequences if it were to provide weapons to Russia in Ukraine.
The US and Europe are increasingly concerned about Beijing’s deepening economic and political ties with Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine. China has provided an economic lifeline to help blunt the impact of sanctions by becoming the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas and providing technology such as chips.
Xi travelled to Moscow last month in a clear demonstration of his personal ties with Putin, whom he called his “dear friend”.
While the US under President Joe Biden has taken a harder line against China and urged Europe privately to do the same, the EU and countries such as France and Germany have sought a middle path of “de-risking” their relationships with China while continuing trade and diplomacy.
Macron was accompanied by a delegation of about 50 business leaders including from state-backed nuclear group EDF, train maker Alstom and waste and water specialist Veolia.
Airbus on Thursday signed a contract to open a new assembly line in Tianjin, doubling its capacity in China, and won approval from Beijing to proceed with orders for 160 planes, mostly A320neo models.
The Élysée said Alstom had signed a deal to build a metro in Chengdu, while French container shipping giant CMA CGM agreed to work on biofuels with a Chinese group and the Shanghai port.
Xi said Beijing and Paris were “staunch promoters of the multipolarisation of the world”, a reference to reducing US dominance. “We are sure that Europe will develop its relationship with China in total independence,” he added.
The Élysée said Xi and Macron’s meeting was “frank and constructive” and lasted about 90 minutes. They will meet again tonight with von der Leyen ahead of a state dinner, and again in Guangzhou on Friday for a more personal dinner with their wives.
Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert at Renmin University, downplayed the idea that Macron and von der Leyen could truly affect Chinese policy on Russia. “China’s relatively pro-Russian position and policies . . . have been so firm and frequently expressed,” he said.
Paul Haenle, a former China adviser to US presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, said that Macron’s decision to travel with a large business delegation and pursuing economic deals undermined his efforts to pressure Xi on Ukraine.
“Because it is clear that they want to benefit from China’s economy . . . then of course that gives President Xi more leverage on other issues and less willingness to have to compromise,” said Haenle, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think-tank.
The visit, Haenle added, had meanwhile presented Xi with an opportunity to push France and Europe on their strategic autonomy and not “fall blindly into the American camp”.
“President Xi is trying to drive a wedge between the US and the EU. Because in the Chinese view, Europe is still at play,” he said.
Additional reporting by Edward White in Seoul