Can Macron tempt Xi in the Pyrenees to make trade concessions?

On the second day of his trip through Europe, Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to the Pyrenees together with French President Macron. The perfect opportunity for Macron to talk one-on-one with Xi and convince him to reduce the trade imbalance between the two regions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has shown little sign of willingness to make major concessions on trade and foreign policy during his trip so far. Yesterday he spoke about this in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

At a press conference together with Macron yesterday, he also expressed support for the idea of ​​a global ceasefire during the Olympic Games in Paris. “As a permanent member of the (United Nations) Security Council and as a responsible country, China is willing to work with France to use the Paris Olympics as an opportunity to call for a global ceasefire,” President said Xi. China is close to Russia and has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

High in the mountains, the presidents and their wives enjoyed a traditional dance performance and a lunch with local products. Macron also had some gifts for Xi: a wool blanket made in the Pyrenees, a Tour de France jersey and armagnac – a brandy at risk of Chinese trade sanctions.

After his visit to France, Xi will move on to Serbia and Hungary. It is the first time in five years that the Chinese president has visited Europe.