ANKARA / ISTANBUL
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to play his role and “bring everyone around negotiating table” over the Russia-Ukraine war.
During his bilateral meeting with the Chinese president, Macron referred to a “strategic partnership” between the two countries and said it is also about “talking peace and stability in the world.”
“We are attached … and I know you are attached to the UN Charter, to respecting the nuclear documents that are in force, and to everything that ensures peace and stability on the planet,” Macron told Xi, according to French media, citing the country’s presidency.
“So, Russian aggression against Ukraine was a blow to this stability and put an end to decades of peace in Europe.
"I know, I can count on you for the two principles that I just evoked: bringing Russia to logic and everyone around the negotiations table,” Macron told the Chinese president
China pledges to facilitate talks
Xi held a welcome ceremony for Macron at China's Great Hall of the People in Beijing ahead of their bilateral talks.
During talks and a joint press conference with the French president, he reaffirmed China's commitment to facilitating peace talks and a political solution to the Ukraine crisis.
According to a statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry, Xi told his French counterpart that Beijing is ready to issue a joint call with France for the international community to "stay rational, exercise restraint, and avoid taking actions that might cause the crisis to further deteriorate or even spiral out of control."
To strictly adhere to international humanitarian law, he urged the warring sides to avoid "attacking civilians or civilian facilities, and (to) protect women, children and other victims of the conflict."
Commenting on nuclear issues, he said, "To earnestly honor the solemn pledge that nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought, oppose the use of biological weapons under any circumstances, and oppose armed attacks against nuclear power plants or other civilian nuclear facilities."
He urged adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, accommodating the "legitimate" security concerns of all parties, seeking a political settlement, fostering a "balanced, effective, and sustainable" European security architecture, and resuming peace talks between Russia and Ukraine "as soon as possible."
He stressed the need for working together to "jointly address the spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis in food, energy, finance, transportation and other fields, and reduce the negative impact of the Ukraine crisis on the world, especially on developing countries."
Xi told Macron that China and France have the "ability and responsibility to rise above differences and obstacles, keep to the overall direction of a comprehensive strategic partnership that is stable, mutually beneficial, enterprising and dynamic, and practice true multilateralism for global peace, stability and prosperity," the foreign ministry statement said.
Ahead of a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Macron said Thursday that China has a “major role to play in building peace.”
“I am convinced that China has a major role to play in building peace,” said Marcon, who reached Beijing on Wednesday on a three-day state visit.
“This (building peace) is what I have come to discuss, to move forward on,” the French president added, apparently referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.
As permanent members of the UN Security Council, Macron told a joint news conference with Xi, "(we) must cooperate to preserve an international order capable of facing the current challenges."
"To speak of security and stability today is to speak of the war launched by Russia in Ukraine. A country that is also a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council has decided to violate the (UN) Charter and we cannot accept this situation, and that is why our diplomatic action will remind Russia of its duties," he added.
Macron also expressed his desire to rule out the use of nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukrainian war.
“With President XI Jinping, we will also talk about our businesses, the climate and biodiversity, and food security,” Macron said on Twitter.
Ahead of the Beijing flight, Macron spoke to his US counterpart Joe Biden on Tuesday.
The duo “confirmed their objective of convincing Xi to be a mediator between Russia and Ukraine.”
Also, in his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Macron pointed to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Macron stressed on the “importance of the dialogue between China and France in these troubled times."
The China-France trade volume has risen to over $74 billion last year.
Besides meetings with Xi, Li, and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji, Macron will also visit the city of Guangzhou in the southeast province of Guangdong.
