Xi puts Macron in his place - The West interferes everywhere in the name of its 'global order'

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, warned of the danger of the "dissolution of the international order" during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing, amidst intensifying trade tensions between China and Europe.

"We are facing the risk of the dissolution of the international order that brought peace to the world for decades. In this context, dialogue between China and France is more necessary than ever," Macron stated after the talks with the Chinese leader.
"There are many ways to converge," he added. "Sometimes we disagree, but we have the responsibility to know how to overcome our differences for an effective multilateralism in which we believe."

Xi's "response"

Earlier, Xi Jinping called on Macron to "raise the flag of multilateralism" and prevent others from interfering in the bilateral relations of the two countries, in remarks made before the talks.
The Chinese President's comments in the Great Hall of the People were an indirect reference to accusations that European policy toward China is being influenced by an aggressive American administration under President Donald Trump.
"China is willing to work with France to always proceed from the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the long-term interests of the international community and eliminate all kinds of interference," Xi told Macron.

Macron's visit to China is his fourth since taking office in 2017 and comes ahead of his country taking over the G7 presidency in 2026, with addressing global economic imbalances being a key priority.
Tensions between Beijing and Europe have intensified due to China's explosive trade and investment imbalances and its export-oriented development.
Macron described the phase in the economic relations of the two countries as "time for a new chapter" and asked China to commit to greater investment in Europe by 2030, warning that current imbalances "are starting to become unsustainable."
"If we continue as we are, we will reach a crisis," he stressed, warning that a trade war would be "the worst way to deal with this situation."

Global trade

China's export controls on rare earths, whose production is almost entirely controlled by the country and which are critical for industries from automobiles to defense, are also a serious concern for European countries.
Later on Thursday, Xi mentioned that he and Macron agreed on increased cooperation in industries such as aerospace, nuclear energy, biopharmaceuticals, and artificial intelligence, as well as in other areas such as panda conservation and "global governance."
Xi emphasized that China's next five-year plan, expected to be officially released in March, offers opportunities for French industry, despite Beijing's repeated emphasis on industrial self-sufficiency.

"We support Chinese companies that have the potential and the desire to invest in France," Xi told business leaders, without committing to specific measures.
He also reiterated China's position in favor of peace in Ukraine, but without mentioning the European demands for a ceasefire before any peace talks. France has sought to encourage China to act as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but with limited success.

The case of Shein

The talks come amidst the anticipation of a French court decision on a proposed three-month operating ban for the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein, following the discovery of illegal products on its marketplace.

At the same time, China has opened anti-dumping investigations into European products. While the investigation into cognac exports has been largely resolved, others – mainly for EU dairy products – are ongoing, with decisions on additional tariffs expected in the coming weeks, according to industry leaders.

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