Macron, Xi Talk Trade In Paris Amid Subsidy Spat

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his official state visit to France as tensions over electric vehicles (EVs) and state subsidies simmer, Eleanor Butler reported for Euronews.

President Xi Jinping is meeting his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, in a rare visit to Paris. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission (EC), joined the two. I Photo: © European Union, 2024

President Xi Jinping is meeting his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, in a rare visit to Paris, marking the start of a European trip that will later include stops in Serbia and Hungary.

Macron and Xi are being joined by the head of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen.

Both Western leaders are poised to issue stern warnings regarding trade. The visit comes against a backdrop of simmering tensions over state subsidies for Chinese green technology in the EU, which provoked the European Commission to launch an investigation last year.

According to critics, the subsidies allow Chinese manufacturers to keep their costs artificially low, which could harm European competitors. Products in question include electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines.