President Xi Jinping of China, on a two-day visit to France, spoke out firmly against criticism of his country for its close relationship with Russia during the war in Ukraine, saying that “we oppose the crisis being used to cast responsibility on a third country, sully its image and incite a new cold war.”
Flanked by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, with whom he held several rounds of talk on Monday, Mr. Xi stiffened as he defended China’s role, recalling it was “not at the origin of this crisis, nor a party to it, nor a participant.”
The bristling remark appeared aimed principally at the United States, which believes that China, aside from buying enormous amounts of Russia oil and gas, continues to aid Moscow’s war in Ukraine by providing satellite imagery to Russian forces along with jet fighter parts, microchips and other dual-use equipment.
Mr. Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s president, who attended a morning session of talks, pressured Mr. Xi to use his influence on Moscow to bring the war to an end. Mr. Xi will host President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Beijing later this month, but there was no suggestion — other than a general wish for peace — that he would ask his “no limits” ally to stop the war.
The talks in Paris took place as Mr. Putin again suggested he might be prepared to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. Russia has specifically cited Mr. Macron’s taboo-breaking statement in February that the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine could not be ruled out as a reason for Moscow’s decision to hold military exercises to practice for the possible use of battlefield, or “tactical,” nuclear weapons.
Mr. Macron has said repeatedly that he stands by his position on the possible deployment of troops, remarks intended, he says, to create “strategic ambiguity.” He did not address the issue on Monday.
Addressing Mr. Xi, the French president said, “Without security for Ukraine there can be no security for Europe.” But he emphasized that France was not at war with Russia or its people and did not seek to overturn Mr. Putin’s regime. Mr. Macron added, with respect to the war, that France and China “must maintain a close dialogue”
Earlier in the day, Ms. von der Leyen said Beijing should “use all its influence on Russia to end its war of aggression against Ukraine.” Mr. Xi had played “an important role in de-escalating Russia’s irresponsible nuclear threats,” she added, expressing confidence that the Chinese leader would “continue to do so against the backdrop of ongoing nuclear threats by Russia.”
“More effort is needed to curtail delivery of dual-use goods to Russia that find their way to the battlefield,” said Ms. von der Leyen, who has been blunter in her criticism of China than Mr. Macron. “And given the existential nature of the threats stemming from this war for both Ukraine and Europe, this does affect E.U.-China relations.”
It is relatively unusual for a top European official to describe the war in Ukraine as an “existential threat” to the European continent. Doing so may reflect Mr. Putin’s renewed talk of the use of nuclear weapons.
The atmosphere between Mr. Xi and Mr. Macron was friendly and full of mutual congratulation at the fruits of the 60-year diplomatic relationship between the two countries and vows to build a better world together. At a separate French-Chinese business summit attended by top executives, Mr. Xi said, “Between our two countries there is no geopolitical tension nor any fundamental conflict.”
The two leaders called jointly for an “Olympics truce” — a pause in all fighting in all conflicts across the world for the duration of the Paris Olympics from July 26 to Aug. 11.
Mr. Macron noted the gastronomic passions shared by the two countries, and offered Mr. Xi a couple of bottles of Cognac.
China started an anti-dumping investigation this year targeting European brandy — French Cognacs for the most part — after the European Union began an investigation into fast-growing subsidized electric car imports from China. This could lead to the imposition of European tariffs this year. Mr. Macron, thanking Mr. Xi for his “openness” on the Cognac question, suggested that the threat of Chinese tariffs had been staved off for the time being.
Mr. Macron, who wants to build a sovereign “Europe power” beholden neither to the United States nor China and pursuing its own interests with the military and industrial strength to do so, was, however, less effusive about relations with China than during a visit to Beijing last year, when the two countries declared a “global strategic partnership.”
“There can be no long-term exchange without reciprocity,” Mr. Macron said at the business summit, adding that his goal was to “rebalance” trade between the two countries.
France has an almost $50 billion trade deficit with China; Europe’s deficit with China has tripled to close to $325 billion over the past five years. The level of French investments in China is three times as much as China’s investment in France.
“There is an opportunity for a balanced partnership between France and China,” Bruno Le Maire, the French finance minister, said at the meeting with business executives. “We are right now far from that balance.”
A number of agreements between French and Chinese companies were announced, including several related to battery production, transportation and green energy. Mr. Macron called on Chinese companies to increase investments in France in the areas of electric batteries and vehicles, solar panels and computing, so long as the investments were made “in full respect of our sovereignty.”
Ms. von der Leyen also took a firm line on trade. Tensions are high between the 27-nation European Union and China because heavily subsidized Chinese manufacturing and weak domestic demand have led to a big export push from Beijing.
“These subsidized products — such as electric vehicles or, for example, steel — are flooding the European market,” Ms. von der Leyen said. “At the same time, China continues to massively support its manufacturing sector, and this is combined with domestic demand that is not increasing.”
“The world,” she declared, “cannot absorb China’s surplus production.”
The war in Ukraine has put great pressure on European economies — as has the consequent need to shift energy supplies after most of the continent stopped buying from Russia. Inflation has risen, and the fear that China could put companies out of business has risen along with it.
“Europe cannot accept market-distorting practices that could lead to deindustrialization here at home,” Ms. von der Leyen said, adding that “Europe will not waver from making tough decisions needed to protect its economy and security.”
Aurelien Breeden and Liz Alderman contributed reporting.