Macro and Von der Leyen arrive in China

Macron said that Europe should resist corrosion of trade and diplomatic relations with China as he arrived on a state visit Wednesday, seeking to refute any feeling there is an inevitable “spiral” tension between Beijing and the West.

Among other things, he said maintaining dialogue with China was essential in view of its close relations with Russia, which is waging a war in Ukraine, Reuters writes, broadcast Klankosova.tv.

“We hear increasingly loud voices expressing a strong concern for the future of relations between the West and China, which in some form leads to the conclusion that there is an inevitable spiral of rising tensions”, Macron told reporters at the French Embassy in Beijing.

The trip will mark late der Leyen's first visit to China since she became president of the European Commission more than three years ago, and comes after she said that the EU must take the risk “from links to Beijing, including restricting Chinese access to sensitive technology and reducing support for key entry.

European relations with China have deteriorated in recent years initially due to a stalled investment pact in 2021 and then Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia for Ukraine.