On Friday, French President and German Chancellor held a video conference and called for a “re-balancing” of trade relations between Europe and China on the eve of the German leader’s visit to Beijing, Euractiv informed.
During the video conference, the European leaders also discussed the impact of the war in Ukraine on European security, Macron’s office said.
Olaf Scholz is heading to China at the of this weekend on a delicate three-day trip at a time when the West is hardening its tone towards Beijing, both over its trade practices and its proximity to Moscow.
The European Union has accused China of flooding Europe with subsidised goods sold at below-market prices, and the European Commission on Tuesday launched an investigation into Chinese suppliers of wind turbines following a state aid enquiry for solar panels, electric cars and trains.
Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz also stressed the need to “spur European competitiveness,” in particular by deepening pan-European capital markets, a project that would require harmonisation of financial rules across the bloc but which has been hampered by disagreements between Paris and Berlin.
Concerning the Ukraine Crisis, Macron’s office reported that the two leaders reaffirmed their long-term support for Ukraine and discussed “European initiatives to provide military support for Ukraine.”
The French president was expected to visit Ukraine within weeks, but he said he would only make the trip when he had something concrete to say.
The French and German leaders will meet face-to-face at a joint French-German cabinet meeting on 28 May in Meseberg, near Berlin, which will coincide with the French president’s state visit to Germany.
