(MENAFN) Chinese President Xi Jinping received French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday, according to reports from state media.

Macron was formally welcomed a day earlier during an official ceremony marking the start of his state visit.

Speaking Wednesday, Macron said he intended to address issues of “peace and economic rebalancing” in his discussions with Xi.

"I am keen to work with China and all our partners on these major challenges," he said as he began the three-day visit, which came at Xi’s invitation.

He added that France is now even "more determined" to engage closely with China and other nations as it prepares to take over the G7 presidency early next year.
"Together we can change things," he wrote in a brief online message.

Macron arrived with a large delegation of business representatives and senior officials, marking his fourth state visit to China’s rapidly expanding economy. Upon arrival, he and his wife Brigitte were welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

During the trip, Macron is scheduled to meet Xi, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, China’s top legislator, before continuing to the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday.

Xi is also expected to host Macron for private discussions in Chengdu, where topics such as bilateral relations, trade tensions, US tariffs, and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are likely to be addressed.

The leaders are additionally set to review China’s relations with the European Union, with trade between the two sides reaching approximately $785.8 billion last year.

Macron’s arrival coincided with the EU unveiling a €3 billion ($3.5 billion) initiative aimed at strengthening the bloc’s economic resilience and reducing “its heavy reliance on China for critical minerals, including rare earths,” according to general reporting.

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