European leaders head to Beijing with hope of driving peace in Ukraine, while balancing business ties
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen arrive in Beijing Wednesday for a visit France has framed as a high stakes chance to push China to do more for peace in Ukraine, but where European economic interests will also loom large. Macron – who is traveling with a delegation of roughly 50 business leaders – will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other top officials on Thursday, before a separate meeting with Xi and von der Leyen later that day, according to an Elysee source.
The three-day visit comes amid urgency in Europe to find a path to peace in Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine, and as European leaders grapple with how to navigate their relationship with Beijing – a top EU trade partner whose close ties with Moscow and aggressive foreign policy have made them increasingly wary.
For Beijing, the double-header diplomacy could offer a chance to mend that image, as it aims to reconnect with the world and revive its domestic economy following three years of damaging Covid restrictions.
But that may depend on its ability to make the right signals for Europe regarding its stance on the war.
Macron has for months telegraphed his view that China could play a role in resolving the conflict in Ukraine – and his intention to travel to Beijing to discuss how.
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