Macron's trip to China: Peacemaking or profit-seeking?

Following the announcement of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China in early April, AFP reported that French officials have declared that after months of diplomatic tensions, now is the time for "détente and re-engagement" with China to persuade Beijing to help mediate a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv. According to Reuters, during his visit, Macron will exhort China, which enjoys a close relationship with the Kremlin, not to provide Moscow with any game-changing weapons, and he will ask Beijing's assistance in stopping Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

According to the Élysée Palace, Macron's trip to China is scheduled for early April; nevertheless, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron met in November on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, for the first time in three years. It was Macron who asked for a direct meeting with the Chinese leader, a sign of a thaw in relations between France and China. Political commentators believe that Macron's trip to China will include more than just a peaceful settlement for Ukraine; rather, Macron will seek self-serving objectives.

In recent years, China has taken a keen interest in strengthening relations with Russia, and Beijing has long seen Moscow as a key ally in combating U.S. expansionist agendas. In addition, Russia has become a reliable supply of energy for China and a formidable block to NATO's eastern encroachment. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that Macron hoped that China would assist France in addressing the Ukrainian crisis through exerting influence on Russia.

Also, the ailing French and European economies need China's assistance. Long perplexed by the economic and political rivalry between China and the United States, Macron is expected to seek Chinese investment in France's dormant industrial sectors during his upcoming visit to Beijing. Note that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has already presented a 12-point peace plan for Ukraine that includes a suspension of hostilities and the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.

China's peace initiative has emphasised the start of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, a ceasefire, and the relaxation of western sanctions against Russia, efforts to secure the security of nuclear installations, humanitarian crossings for refugees, and measures to safeguard grain exports.

By: M.S. Qurbani