(Bloomberg) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said China can play a “major role” in Ukraine while adding that he opposes moves to decouple with the world's second-biggest economy, as he pushes Europe to take a more moderate stance toward Beijing than the US.
“There's a rivalry with the European Union that we fully acknowledge, but we also know that there are major international issues that we need to work on together,” Macron said during a speech to the French community in Beijing.
Macron, who is on the first day of a three-day visit to China, said that discussions with the country on the war in Ukraine were critical.
“We need to try to engage with China strategically and speak with them directly about this Russian aggression and the consequences for Europe,” Macron said.
“China, thanks to its relationship with Russia, can play a major role,” he added.
Xi Courts Macron in Bid to Drive Wedge Between Europe and US
The EU, including Germany and France, are seeking to balance a desire to engage with China on trade and investment while still asserting what they deem core European values, including respect for human rights and territorial sovereignty in places like Ukraine.
Macron added that he intends to discuss Iran and North Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said that China needed to reciprocate EU trade overtures.
--With assistance from Foster Wong.
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