(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that “peace and economic rebalancing” will top his agenda when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. As he launched a three-day state visit at Xi’s invitation, Macron noted, "I am keen to work with China and all our partners on these major challenges."

With France set to take over the G7 presidency in January, he added that the shift makes his government even “more determined” to deepen cooperation with China and other international partners. Posting a short message on a major U.S.-based social platform, he wrote: "Together we can change things."

This marks Macron’s fourth state visit to China, and he arrived with a delegation of business leaders and senior officials. Upon landing in Beijing, he and his wife Brigitte were welcomed by China’s foreign minister. During the visit, Macron is scheduled to meet Xi, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, China’s top legislative official, before continuing Friday to the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu.

Xi is expected to hold a separate one-on-one meeting with Macron in Chengdu, where discussions will likely touch on bilateral relations, trade tensions including U.S. tariff issues, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. The leaders are also set to revisit China-EU relations, with trade between the two sides having reached roughly $785.8 billion last year.

As Macron arrived in Beijing, the European Union unveiled a €3 billion ($3.5 billion) initiative aimed at strengthening the bloc’s economic defenses and reducing “its heavy reliance on China for critical minerals, including rare earths,” according to general reporting. A senior EU official stressed the need for a more secure and strategic approach to global commerce, saying: "Europe remains a champion of open trade and global investment, but openness without security becomes vulnerability." The official added, "To stay resilient in a shifting geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape, we must use our tools more strategically and assertively while developing new ones to reinforce our economic security."

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