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.

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 will join our call, our efforts to achieve, as soon as possible, at the very least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes targeting critical infrastructure,” he said.

Xi did not say respond to France's call, but said that "China supports all efforts that work towards peace” and called for a peace deal that all parties will accept.

China has provided strong diplomatic support to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine and has also extended an economic lifeline through increased trade.

Xi also announced that China will provide $100 million to help Gaza's ongoing humanitarian crisis and to support the territory's recovery and reconstruction.

Trade was another major focus of Thursday's agenda.

Xi said during the joint appearance that both sides had agreed to work towards greater economic cooperation in areas of aerospace, aeronautics, nuclear energy, as well as new areas such as green industries and AI.

They signed 12 agreements, including ones calling for cooperation on a new round of panda conservation efforts and exchanges in higher education and research.

The European Union bloc runs a massive trade deficit with China: over 300 billion euros ($348 billion) last year. China alone represents 46% of France’s total trade deficit.

France and the European Union have described China as simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival.

Recent years have been marked by trade disputes across a range of industries after the EU undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicles subsidies and China responded with investigations into imports of European brandy, pork and dairy products.