French President Emmanuel Macron met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, using the visit to push China to play a stronger role in efforts to secure a cease-fire in Ukraine while trying to ease growing trade frictions between Europe and the world’s second-largest economy.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were greeted with a grand indoor welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. The event was moved inside because of the cold weather, but the pageantry remained intact. A children’s chorus offered flowers as Macron blew kisses, and a military band played the national anthems of both nations.

The trip is Macron’s fourth to China since he became president in 2017. Along with his meeting with Xi, he is scheduled to hold talks with Premier Li Qiang before continuing to Chengdu, where two pandas once loaned to France recently returned to China.

Macron hopes the visit will help reopen diplomatic paths as the war in Ukraine nears its fourth winter. French officials say the discussions will focus heavily on what China can do to exert pressure on Moscow, particularly on Russian President Vladimir Putin, to accept steps toward a cease-fire.

Push for a cease-fire

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said this week that Paris is “counting on China, like us, a permanent member of the Security Council,” to press Russia toward halting its offensive.

Western governments have long argued that Beijing holds unique leverage over Moscow and could use it to help end the conflict.

China has repeatedly urged peace talks and voiced support for the territorial integrity of all countries. But Beijing has stopped short of condemning Russia’s 2022 invasion.

European and U.S. officials accuse China of providing economic lifelines to Russia’s war effort, including shipments of components that can feed its military production lines.

French officials said Macron intends to tell Xi that China must refrain from providing, directly or indirectly, any material that would allow Russia to sustain the war.

The message follows a visit to Paris earlier in the week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who urged European leaders to remain firm in their support as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes a separate plan to end the conflict.

After meeting Macron in Paris, Zelensky said on social media that both leaders shared the view that the war must be brought to a “fair end,” adding that he also held calls with other European heads of state.

Trade tensions

Alongside the war, trade is expected to dominate Macron’s discussions in Beijing. The European Union faces a trade deficit of roughly $357 billion with China, and officials in Paris say it has become increasingly difficult to maintain balance in key sectors.

An adviser to Macron said the French leader plans to stress that China must shift toward greater domestic consumption and reduced exports, while Europe needs to save less and boost production.

Macron has for several years pushed for the EU to lessen its dependence on Chinese supply chains, calling for a “European preference” in technology and emerging industries.

At a summit of European tech leaders last month, Macron warned that the bloc does not want to become a “vassal” to either American or Chinese technology giants. He said Europe must cultivate its own industrial base if it hopes to remain competitive.

Macron will remain in China through Friday. His final stop will be in Chengdu, in the southwestern province of Sichuan, a city known internationally for its panda conservation centers.

Pandas and protocol

Last week, two giant pandas that had lived for years in France under a loan agreement were flown back to China to retire at a sanctuary in Sichuan.

The animals had become fixtures at the Beauval Zoo and favorites among French visitors. Chinese officials have since promised that a new pair will be sent to France, continuing the long-running tradition of panda diplomacy.

French officials said the planned visit to Chengdu is “quite exceptional in Chinese protocol,” signaling a level of hospitality that Macron has noted during past trips.

On his last visit, he received a rock-star reception at a university in Guangzhou, where students cheered his arrival and clamored for selfies and high-fives.