Conflicts high on the agenda as Xi heads to France next week

President Xi Jinping is due to make a state visit to France on May 6 and 7, Paris announced, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to be high on the agenda.

The visit to France, which will be followed by trips to Serbia and Hungary, marks the Chinese leader's first European tour since the pandemic.

"This visit takes place on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and follows on from the president's visit to Beijing and Guangzhou in April, 2023," President Emmanuel Macron's office said.

"Exchanges will focus on international crises, first and foremost the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, trade issues, scientific, cultural and sporting cooperation," it added.

Xi and Macron will also discuss "joint actions to tackle global challenges, in particular the climate emergency, the protection of biodiversity and the financial situation of the most vulnerable countries."

"China looks forward to working with France to take this visit as an opportunity," said Lin Jian, spokesman of China's foreign ministry, also referring to Beijing's readiness to "make new contributions to world peace, stability, development and progress."

Macron and his wife Brigitte will host Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan in Paris on Monday. The following day, the two couples will travel to the southwestern department of Hautes-Pyrenees.

As France prepares to host the Olympic Games this summer, Macron has said he will do "everything possible" to have an Olympic truce during the Games. The truce is a historic tradition that peace reigns during the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Macron has been seeking to dissuade China from supporting Russia's war against Ukraine. In 2023, the French president called on Xi to "bring Russia to its senses" over Ukraine and urged him not to deliver weapons to Moscow.

But despite Western pressure, cooperation between China and Russia has only grown stronger.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he plans to visit China in May, his first trip abroad since re-election in March.

After visiting France, Xi will stop in Hungary. Despite its size, Hungary has attracted major Chinese projects in recent years, mostly related to battery and electric vehicle manufacturing.