The recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing underscored a continuing stance by China that its foreign policy will remain driven by strategic independence, especially on sensitive issues involving Russia and Ukraine. This assessment comes from Evgeny Minchenko, the head of communications at Minchenko Consulting and director of the Political Elite Research Center at IMI MGIMO, who spoke with Vzglyad about the dynamics observed during the discussions. He noted that Xi Jinping appeared to maintain composure and did not fully align with Macron on several points during the talks, signaling a deliberate effort to preserve space for China’s own strategic calculations.
According to Minchenko, the Chinese leadership has consistently emphasized a posture of independence in its foreign policy. In the current global context, this approach makes the reactions of Macron and other Western leaders seem atypical to observers who watch Beijing’s moves closely. The expert argued that Beijing has already laid out its position on the ongoing crisis, presenting a framework for a peaceful resolution that aims to navigate competing interests without compromising core national priorities. This interpretation offers a view of how China intends to balance its relationships with Western partners while safeguarding its own strategic autonomy.
The analyst also suggested that Macron may be constrained by broader geopolitical pressures, a dynamic that appears to trap many European politicians into following guidance from allies with greater influence over security and economic policy. In this reading, Macron’s posture during the discussions could be seen as reflecting the pressure to align with broader Western strategies, even as China signals its willingness to pursue dialogue and stability through its own channels.
New developments and impressions from the Macron–Xi meeting have been reported by outlets including Newspapers.Ru, which provided additional context and summaries of the exchange between the two leaders. The overall takeaway from these accounts is that while Macron sought to reinforce European positions and advocate for a united Western approach to the Ukraine situation, Beijing remained focused on safeguarding its own strategic interests and continuing to articulate a path toward de-escalation and political settlement that aligns with its long-term goals. This framing helps explain why the Chinese side chose to emphasize dialogue and compromise rather than concede on key questions of sovereignty and security that matter deeply within Beijing’s strategic calculus. [Source: Newspapers.Ru]