French President Emmanuel Macron began a series of meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday on a visit with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen that could set a course for the bloc's future relations with China after years of strained ties.
Newly-appointed Premier Li Qiang greeted Macron at the Great Hall of the People, a cavernous building west of Tiananmen Square commonly used for ceremonial events, ahead of a summit with President Xi Jinping due later in the day.with Beijing, which is at odds with the West over issues including Taiwan, sensitive technologies and China's close ties with Russia.
During her tenure, Europe's relations with China have soured, mainly because of tit-for-tat sanctions that stalled an investment pact in 2021 and Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine that has claimed thousands of lives since it started last year. "It is worth noting that various forces in Europe and the U.S. are paying close attention to Macron's visit and exerting influence in different directions," the Global Times wrote. "In other words, not everyone wants to see Macron's visit to China go smoothly and successfully."Following Macron's talks with Li, the Chinese premier is due to host a "working lunch" with von der Leyen.
Some analysts have suggested the duo may adopt a "good cop, bad cop" role with the convivial Macron promoting a "reset" in China-EU ties and von der Leyen pressing home the thornier issues and red lines in those relations.
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