President Xi Jinping on Monday attended a China-France-EU trilateral meeting with French leader Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Xi said China regarded Europe as an important partner in helping it achieve its modernisation goals and said the two sides should stay committed to their partnership.

The president added China regarded Europe as a priority of its foreign policy, and sees China-EU relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Xi's French counterpart, Macron, said the international situation made EU-China dialogue more essential than ever, adding it was important to ensure a level playing field between the two sides.

Trade, Sino-European relations, the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East dominated talks between the three leaders.

Macron said coordination with Beijing on "major crises" including Ukraine was "absolutely decisive".

Xi said China had been working "vigorously" to facilitate talks for peace in Ukraine while adding that Beijing was ready to work with the EU to support a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

On trade, Macron urged "fair rules for all" while the EU's von der Leyen said relations between Brussels and Beijing were challenged over issues linked to market access.

Xi said whether viewed from the perspective of comparative advantage or global market demand, there was no such thing as "China's overcapacity problem". (Xinhua/Reuters)
_____________________________
Last updated: 2024-05-06 HKT 21:56