BEIJING (AP) — China and France pledged deeper cooperation on global issues like the war in Ukraine and trade, as France prepares to take on the presidency of the Group of Seven next year.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday morning as part of a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomacy.

France seeks help to end Ukraine war

The French leader is seeking to involve Beijing in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire with Ukraine after a recent burst of diplomacy around a U.S.-led peace plan.

“We are facing the risk of the disintegration of the international order that brought peace to the world for decades, and in this context, the dialogue between China and France is even more essential than ever,” Macron said Thursday.

“I hope that China wi

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