French President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants to “engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace” in Ukraine when he meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
French officials said earlier that Mr Macron planned to urge Mr Xi in talks on Thursday to use Beijing’s influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but did not expect a big shift in the Chinese position.
Mr Macron is to be accompanied by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a show of European unity in dealings with Beijing.
Mr Xi and Mr Putin declared their governments had a “no limits friendship” before Moscow’s February 2022 attack on Ukraine. Beijing has refused to criticise the Kremlin but has tried to appear neutral and has called for a cease-fire and peace talks.
In a speech to French residents of China, Mr Macron said he would “try to build, and somehow engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability on international issues” including Ukraine, Iran and North Korea.
Mr Macron expressed hope China will “participate in initiatives that are useful to the Ukrainian people”.
“Dialogue with China is indispensable,” Mr Macron said during the event at the French Embassy.
Mr Xi’s government sees Russia as a source of energy and as a partner in opposing what both say is US domination of global affairs.
China is the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, which helps to prop up the Kremlin’s revenue in the face of Western sanctions. That increases Chinese influence, but Mr Xi appears reluctant to jeopardise that partnership by pressuring Mr Putin.
Mr Macron noted Mr Putin’s announcement that Moscow plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which China opposes.
“Territorial integrity, the sovereignty of nations is part” of the Charter of the United Nations, which China affirmed, Mr Macron said.
Defending those principles “means moving forward together and trying to find a path for peace,” Mr Macron said.
He noted China proposed a peace plan in February and that while France does not fully agree with it, the plan “shows a will to commit toward the resolution of the conflict”.
