France's foreign minister is in China to discuss Ukraine and trade
issues
[March 27, 2025] BEIJING
(AP) — French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot began a two-day visit to
China on Thursday and held talks with his Chinese counterpart on Ukraine
and longstanding trade disputes between China and Europe.
There was no word of any immediate progress, but both sides sounded
positive on the state of relations.
Barrot met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said in a news
conference afterward that both countries should “choose multilateralism
over unilateralism ... and pursue mutual benefit and win-win outcomes
instead of decoupling and isolation.”
That echoed language frequently used by China in criticizing U.S.
foreign policy and the Western-led political order.
Barrot later met with Premier Li Qiang, who said: "As we all know, the
world is currently not peaceful, and instability and uncertainty are
increasing.”
“As two independent and responsible major countries, China and France
should strengthen cooperation. Through our cooperation, we should inject
more certainty into bilateral relations and the world,” Li said.
Barrot responded that the world was “indeed going through troubled times
where a number of major principles, particularly those of
multilateralism, are being shaken.”
“In this context, a new Europe is rapidly emerging, its only compass
being strategic autonomy. This new Europe is investing massively in its
defense, in energy,” the minister said before reporters were escorted
from the room.
On Friday, Barrot will travel to Shanghai for meetings with local
officials and business leaders.
France has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against
Russia's invasion, while Beijing has backed Russia diplomatically and
provided an economic lifeline by buying Russian natural resources.
Barrot's visit is an opportunity to gauge China's attitude on Ukraine
ahead of a major French-hosted meeting on a possible peacekeeping force
for the country.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, left, is greeted by
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse
in Beijing Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Greg Baker/Pool Photo via AP)
 The talks come as fissures are
showing between the U.S. and Europe over support for Ukraine, with
Washington increasingly seen as backing Moscow.
French President François Macron said Wednesday that a proposed
European armed force could be deployed in Ukraine in under an
eventual peace deal, and could “respond” to a Russian attack if
Moscow launched one.
Europe has long complained of unfair Chinese trade practices that it
says force European companies to take on Chinese partners, share
business practices and result in a major Chinese trade surpluses.
The sides also issued a joint statement reaffirming cooperation on
climate change marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement,
saying “the agreement and its long-term goals even more requires all
parties to inject political impetus into the international
cooperation on jointly fighting climate change (and) protecting
biodiversity and ecosystems."
China is both the largest producer and consumer of fossil fuels,
mainly coal.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has started the
one-year process to once again pull out of the 2015 Paris climate
agreement and, formalizing another withdrawal from both climate and
foreign aid programs, the Trump administration has told world
financial institutions that the U.S is pulling out of the
international climate Loss and Damage Fund.
In its first 50 days, the Trump administration has eliminated or cut
funding for environmental justice domestically, foreign aid, climate
change and diversity, equity and inclusion.
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