French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in China for a three-day state visit from December 3–5, 2025, marking his fourth visit to the country since taking office in 2017. The trip carries heightened strategic importance as Europe navigates both escalating geopolitical tensions and growing economic friction with Beijing.
The visit centers on two complex priorities: securing China’s cooperation on the war in Ukraine and addressing the widening EU-China trade imbalance.
1. Geopolitics: France Pushes China to Pressure Russia Over Ukraine
Macron’s top diplomatic goal is to encourage Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert meaningful influence on Moscow.
A call for ceasefire pressure
France is urging China to help push for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, banking on Beijing’s established partnership with Russia. The French delegation is emphasizing that China must “refrain from providing Russia with any means whatsoever to continue the war” a pointed reference to Western concerns about dual-use exports and indirect military support.
Strategic timing
The visit follows Macron’s recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which they discussed potential paths toward a ceasefire framework. Paris views Beijing as a critical, if challenging, player in any negotiated solution.
Avoiding bloc confrontation
French officials describe the trip as part of a broader effort to maintain a “demanding but continuous dialogue” with China, insisting that Europe should not be forced into a binary choice between the U.S. and China. France aims to carve out space for independent diplomacy.
2. Economics: France Seeks to Rebalance Uneven Trade Relations
Beyond geopolitics, economic negotiations will dominate much of the visit.
Addressing China–EU trade imbalances
The European Union runs a significant trade deficit with China, and France is a major contributor to that gap. Macron aims to secure fair and reciprocal market access for French businesses in key sectors:
- Aviation & Aerospace
- Agrifood and Wine Exports
- Energy and Green Technologies
Trade tensions on the table
Macron is expected to raise several ongoing disputes, including:
- EU investigations into subsidies for Chinese electric vehicles
- Chinese probes targeting European brandy, pork, and dairy imports
France is China’s largest supplier of wine and spirits, making any pressure on this market especially sensitive.
Expected agreements
The visit is likely to produce several bilateral deals aimed at improving French investment conditions and broadening cooperation in:
- Energy
- Environmental technology
- Luxury goods
- High-value manufacturing
3. Symbolic Diplomacy: Chengdu Visit Highlights Personal Rapport
After high-level meetings in Beijing with Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji, Macron will travel to Chengdu in Sichuan province.
A symbolic gesture from Xi
Xi Jinping is personally accompanying Macron to the city, an honor rarely extended to foreign leaders. Chengdu holds symbolic weight, as it is the ancestral home of the giant pandas previously on loan to France and returned to China earlier this year.
The joint trip underscores China’s desire to show respect to France and signal openness to a more stable Europe-China relationship, even amid rising global tensions.
A Delicate Balancing Act for Europe
Macron’s state visit illustrates Europe’s tightrope strategy:
maintaining constructive engagement with China while pushing back on trade practices and urging Beijing to distance itself from Russia’s war effort.
As the trip unfolds, diplomats in both Europe and Asia will closely watch whether Macron can make progress on the dual fronts of geopolitics and economic rebalancing, two issues that will shape EU-China relations for years to come.
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