French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot began a two-day visit to China on Thursday, meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss the war in Ukraine and ongoing trade disputes between China and the European Union. The talks come as global trade faces upheaval following U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition—or threats—of tariffs on key partners, including the EU and China.
"Choose Multilateralism Over Unilateralism"
Following their meeting, Wang emphasized the need for cooperation between the two nations amid a shifting international landscape. "In the face of profound changes, both sides should, as comprehensive strategic partners, demonstrate historical awareness, uphold multilateralism, and oppose unilateralism," he told reporters.
Wang said Beijing and Paris would deepen collaboration in traditional sectors such as agriculture, nuclear energy, and aerospace while expanding into emerging fields like artificial intelligence, digital economy, green hydrogen, and biomanufacturing. "We will also encourage more capable and willing Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in France," he added.
Trade tensions between China and the EU have escalated in recent months. In October, Beijing imposed provisional tariffs of 30.6% to 39% on European brandy—a move that disproportionately affected French cognac producers, slashing export values by nearly a quarter last year. The decision followed the EU’s vote to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Strategic Cooperation Amid Global Uncertainty
Barrot later met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who stressed the importance of Sino-French collaboration in an increasingly unstable world. "As two independent and responsible major countries, China and France should strengthen cooperation to inject more certainty into bilateral relations and the world," Li said.
Barrot acknowledged the challenges facing the global order, stating, "The world is indeed going through troubled times where major principles, particularly multilateralism, are being shaken." He highlighted Europe’s push for strategic autonomy, noting its investments in defense and energy independence.
The French minister also urged China to use its influence to encourage Russia to engage in serious negotiations over Ukraine. On Friday, Barrot is scheduled to travel to Shanghai for meetings with local officials and business leaders.
The visit underscores efforts to stabilize EU-China relations amid broader geopolitical and economic turbulence. Barrot expressed support for ongoing EU-China trade discussions led by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, signaling a shared interest in de-escalating tensions.