“It is hoped that the French side will provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.”
Wang said China was willing to open up new prospects for Sino-French relations, inject new impetus into the development of China-EU relations, push for greater international cooperation and help tackle global challenges.
It is Wang’s first trip to Europe since he took the top foreign ministry job last year, and he is expected to seek improved ties with European countries ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine war.
The EU has backed the US’ resolve to block China’s access to advanced semiconductor chip technology and is expected to pass its own version of the chip ban this year.
During their meeting, Wang and Macron also exchanged “in-depth views about the Ukraine issue”. Wang emphasised that China “adheres to an objective and impartial stance on the issue and is committed to promoting peace talks”.
03:02
Ukraine’s Zelensky presses UK and France for fighter jets on Europe trip
According to a readout from the French government, both parties “expressed the same objective of contributing to peace in accordance with international law”.
Wang – the former foreign minister who was promoted to Beijing’s 24-member Politburo last year – will also visit EU member states Italy, Germany and Hungary. Wang is expected to speak at the Munich Security Conference that starts on Friday.
Observers said Wang’s itinerary suggested that while China might be keen to patch things up with the EU, it had no intention of abandoning Russia.
The Sino-Russian relationship has cast a dark cloud over EU-China affairs since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Beijing has so far refused to condemn Russia, leading to suspicion among European nations about China-Russia relations.
