President Xi Jinping said China is ready to pursue “dialogue on an equal footing and open cooperation” with France as he met with President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday.

Xi hosted a grand welcoming ceremony for Macron and France's First Lady Brigitte Macron, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, followed by a bilateral meeting.

Noting the unstable and changing global landscape, Xi said during the talks that “China and France should demonstrate their sense of responsibility."

Macron arrived in Beijing Wednesday night and is expected to focus on trade talks and global crises during his three-day visit.

He also aims to convince Beijing to pressure Russia toward a ceasefire with Ukraine.

France hopes to attract more Chinese investments and facilitate market access for French exports.

Officials from both nations are expected to sign agreements in energy, food, and aviation sectors.

They will also travel to Chengdu in China’s southwestern Sichuan province, where Macron and Xi will have talks in Dujiangyan, one of the world's oldest irrigation systems.