Macron's China visit hints at a strategic reaffirmation

 
French President Emmanuel Macron's forthcoming state visit to China is a highly anticipated diplomatic event, which carries significance extends far beyond the bilateral scope, reports CGTN.

The three-day visit from December 3, with two stops in Beijing and Chengdu in the southwest, comes at a critical inflection point for a global order beset by geopolitical upheavals, economic uncertainties, and a discernible trend towards regional fragmentation.

In this complex landscape, the relationship between China and the European Union stands as one of the most consequential partnerships of the 21st century. Macron's visit is not merely a routine diplomatic engagement but a strategic maneuver aimed at articulating and shaping a forward-looking vision for EU-China relations - one characterized by pragmatic cooperation, managed competition, and a reaffirmed commitment to a multilateral framework. The economic relationship between China and the EU is undergoing a profound transformation. The era of unfettered globalization has given way to a more cautious era of "de-risking."

Brussels's discussions with Beijing have been mainly guided by the EU's China strategy that regards China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. China has complained that this strategy could be confusing, that's why Beijing hopes to see Paris play a leading role in guiding Europe to become a truly independent power and help contribute to a stable multi-polar world.

When President Macron, a leading proponent of "European strategic autonomy," arrives in China, his economic agenda will be a practical test of this concept. The goal is to foster a more reciprocal and balanced economic partnership.

France, with its world-class competencies in aerospace, civil nuclear energy, luxury goods, and high-value agriculture, is well positioned to engage with a Chinese market increasingly focused on high-quality development and consumption upgrading. The future of cooperation lies beyond the established trade domains. The green and digital transitions represent unprecedented avenues for China-EU collaboration.

On climate change, a shared existential global threat, China and Europe have a compelling mutual interest to lead.

 Joint ventures in renewable energy technologies - such as next-generation solar panels, offshore wind power, and green hydrogen - can accelerate the global decarbonization agenda.

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