Beijing: French President Emmanuel Macron met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, using the visit to urge China to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine and to address growing trade tensions between Europe and the world’s second-largest economy.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were welcomed with full ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, where proceedings were moved indoors due to cold weather. The French leader blew kisses to children offering flowers as a military band performed the national anthems of both countries.

It is Macron’s fourth visit to China since taking office in 2017. He is also scheduled to meet Premier Li Qiang before travelling to Chengdu, where two giant pandas loaned to France were recently returned to China.

Macron has repeatedly sought to

See Full Page