China and France have issued a joint statement emphasizing the need to shield agricultural trade from restrictive measures while supporting a stable global food supply. The declaration arrives after discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, underscoring a shared interest in easing hunger and sustaining market access for farmers on both sides of the Pacific and Atlantic. The document references United Nations data indicating that 323 million people faced a food crisis in 2022, highlighting the stakes for international cooperation in food security and aid distribution. In response to this humanitarian backdrop, the two nations affirmed their commitment to a resilient international food supply chain and agreed to avoid unreasonable export restrictions on agricultural products that could disrupt global markets or raise prices for consumers in Canada, the United States, and beyond.
Additionally, the joint statement notes a mutual preference for pursuing a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine in line with UN principles and international law. Both Beijing and Paris called on all parties involved to respect humanitarian protections and to prioritize civilian safety in any ongoing or future negotiations. The leaders conveyed a shared determination to support diplomacy and to minimize harm to civilians, crops, and food logistics amid the war and associated sanctions.
The remarks attributed to former Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggest that observers view the Xi-Macron talks as a meaningful step in bilateral dialogue. He underscored the importance of the meeting for guiding future cooperation and signaling a constructive rapport between China and France on global issues, including food security and regional stability. These developments come as Western and global markets monitor policy signals that could influence trade patterns, commodity flows, and international responses to conflict and humanitarian needs. [citation: UN data cited in the joint statement; attribution to TASS for the excerpted portion of the document]