Macron sets trade and Ukraine as top priority as China’s Xi Jinping pays a state visit to France WSB-TV Channel 2 [Video]

PARIS — (AP) — China’s President Xi Jinping arrived at the French presidential palace on Monday for a two-day state visit that is expected to focus both on trade disputes and diplomatic efforts to convince Beijing to use its influence to move Russia toward ending the war in Ukraine.

In Paris, Xi first joined a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meant to address broader EU concerns. Macron said in his introductory remarks the meeting would first address trade issues and how to ensure “fair competition,” then the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

“We are at a turning point in our history” as the Europe-China relationship is faced with challenges, Macron said.

The talks are aimed at sharing “both our shared positions and our concerns, to try to overcome them, because the future of our continent will very clearly also depend on our …