French President Emmanuel Macron embarks on a state visit to China from December 3 to 5, marking his first trip in over two years. Building on high-level exchanges since President Xi Jinping's visit to France in 2024, Macron aims to reinforce France-China relations at a moment of global uncertainty.
Since 2017, Macron has visited China three times: exploring practical cooperation in Xi'an in 2018, advocating against "economic decoupling" at the 2019 China International Import Expo, and sealing dozens of agreements during a 2023 delegation visit. The Elysee Palace calls this journey an effort to maintain a "constant and demanding dialogue" with China.
Analysts highlight two pillars of this relationship: continuity and strategic depth. France was the first major Western nation to establish diplomatic ties with China and champions Europe's strategic autonomy alongside the Chinese mainland. As permanent members of the UN Security Council, both bring agenda-setting influence to global issues from Ukraine to the Middle East.
Arriving with ministers and leaders from over 20 top companies, including Airbus and Dassault Systemes, Macron is set to deepen cooperation in aerospace, nuclear energy, digital industries, green tech and transport. The French side will speak on behalf of the European Union, underscoring that the EU remains a reliable partner for China, not an uncertain factor.
Economist Cui Hongjian of Beijing Foreign Studies University notes that rather than issuing demands, this visit focuses on joint solutions. With shared opportunities in investment, energy transition and tech innovation, France and China see each other as vital partners in a shifting global economy.
Beyond diplomacy and business, Macron heads to Chengdu to visit Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, the giant pandas who returned to the Chinese mainland after 13 years in France. A tour of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and talks on a new round of panda cooperation will highlight people-to-people bonds—a soft yet solid support for strategic trust.
As Macron's schedule wraps up with cultural events celebrating Sino-French creativity, this visit underscores a shared commitment to dialogue, economic ties and cultural exchange—anchoring bilateral relations in a turbulent world.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
