Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron met informally in Guangzhou Garden on April 7. China Central Television released footage showing the leaders walking and conversing as they moved through the venue.
Macron was in China for three days. On April 5 she arrived with Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, aiming to urge Xi to reassess Beijing’s approach to Russia, according to Western media. Yet reporters noted that Beijing would not yield on Russia policy by even a hair. Xi has repeatedly stated that the parties to the Ukraine conflict have legitimate security concerns and that China would not promise to steer the actions of those involved. Still, there were small, observable shifts on the final day.
Peace in Ukraine
During the meeting, Xi told Macron that no one benefits from a prolonged war in Ukraine.
He told CNN that it is in the interests of all sides and the world to establish a ceasefire and end the fighting as soon as possible.
Xi characterized a political solution as the only viable path and emphasized that all parties should be held accountable. He also reaffirmed China’s readiness to play a constructive role and to view the Ukraine issue through a neutral lens, not in its own interest.
He added that a political settlement is the only correct way forward. Regarding Ukraine, China has never pursued personal gain and has consistently stood for honesty and justice, Xi stated. He pledged to support any peace plan proposed by Paris and urged the parties to shoulder responsibility and move toward compromise to create the conditions for reconciliation. He welcomed France’s concrete proposals for a political solution and said China was prepared to back them and participate constructively.
“New level”
After three days, Xi remarked a convergence of views with Macron on China-France ties, China-Europe relations, and a range of global issues. He described this alignment as reflecting the high level and strategic nature of Sino-French cooperation.
Xi described the discussions in Beijing and Guangzhou as deep and of high quality, saying they strengthened mutual understanding and trust. He stated a readiness to maintain close strategic channels to elevate the China-France Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Beyond Ukraine, the talks covered the role of the G20 as a platform for economic cooperation and agreed on promoting the G20 as the main forum for international economic collaboration and financial reform. The two sides also called for restoring air traffic to pre-pandemic levels, aiming to restore fair and equal opportunities for intercity flights.
Both countries expressed a commitment to strengthen a multipolar world order under the auspices of the United Nations. They reaffirmed support for the joint declaration by Britain, China, Russia, France, and the United States on preventing nuclear conflict and the arms race, noting that a nuclear war cannot be won.
Beijing and Paris also emphasized the need to prevent attacks on nuclear facilities. The statement underscored opposition to armed strikes on nuclear power plants and other civilian sites and backed the IAEA in ensuring the security of civilian nuclear facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia plant, as part of the final communiqué.
Peace Plan Xi
Around a year after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released its own peace proposal. The document outlines twelve points, with the most notable focusing on rejecting Cold War mentalities, stopping hostilities and resuming direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv, reducing strategic risks with a firm commitment to not use nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons, and ending unilateral sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that many elements of China’s plan could serve as a basis for a peace agreement if Western nations and Kyiv were ready, though he noted that there had been no such preparation to date. Mikhail Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukraine’s president, criticized the plan, saying it lacked a clear framework and logical coherence.