PARIS — Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron called for “a truce” in Ukraine and other global conflicts during the Paris Olympic Games.
“The world is far from being tranquil and, as a permanent member of the United Nations, China calls for a worldwide truce during the Olympic Games,” Xi said Monday during press statements after a marathon day of talks in Paris.
Xi is on a two-day state visit to France, which also takes him to the Pyrenees where Macron enjoyed childhood holidays with his grandmother. It’s the Chinese leader’s first visit to Europe since 2019.
Hungary and Serbia — two countries that have signaled their closeness to Moscow — are next on Xi’s itinerary.
Sitting alongside Xi at the Elysée Palace, Macron thanked his Chinese counterpart for backing his idea of a temporary truce. “I thank you for showing your desire during our talks to ask all parties to have an Olympics truce,” he said.
The French president also hinted a possible opportunity to work toward a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. “Maybe this could be an opportunity to work toward a sustainable resolution [of conflicts] in the full respect of international law,” he said.
Macron had previously called for an ‘Olympic truce’ during the upcoming Paris games in the face of ongoing international conflicts including the war in Ukraine.
Talks of a truce, however, go against the signals coming from the battlefield in Ukraine, where Russian forces have taken advantage of Ukraine’s dwindling supplies in recent months while also reportedly gearing up for a possible offensive in the coming months. A French diplomat said a truce could help start a more political process, but noted that European demands on territorial integrity would remain unchanged.
Xi and Macron also discussed China’s ongoing support for Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin, amid repeated calls from France for the Asian powerhouse to use its influence to halt Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
With heavy sanctions on Russia impacting the country’s trade with the United States and the EU, China now supplies Russia with the lion’s share of its consumer goods as well as key technologies for the battlefield. The two sides enjoy what Xi has called a “no-limits partnership.”
Macron, meanwhile, welcomed Chinese “commitments” to “abstain from selling any weapons” to Russia and “closely control the export of dual-usage equipment,” saying that such statements were “reassuring.”
Xi in turn warned Ukraine’s backers against focusing too much on Beijing’s support for Moscow, hinting at Washington’s role in the conflict. “We oppose those who use the crisis and throw the responsibility on a third party, and call for a new Cold War,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Xi, Macron and their wives attended an official welcome ceremony at the Invalides monument in Paris, during which the French Republican Guard played the national anthems of the two countries. They also reviewed the troops and exchanged pleasantries about the features of the 17th century monument.
The Chinese leader held three-way talks with Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that focused on the brewing trade war between the EU and China. During opening comments, von der Leyen warned that Europe “would not waver from taking action” to defend its interests as it pursues several investigations into suspicions of unfair trade practices in China.
Macron, Xi call for worldwide ‘Olympic truce’ during Paris Games
Source: Viral Showbiz Pinay
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