France's President Macron visits China to discuss trade and technology

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing for a three-day state visit aimed at addressing trade and technology competition. The visit is part of a broader European effort to ease tensions with China, following visits from the European Commission president in the summer, with Germanys and the UKs leaders scheduled to visit early next year. However, experts suggest that significant agreements are unlikely to emerge from this trip.

Brussels is expected to announce plans this week to decrease dependency on China for rare earth materials, and it is considering implementing Made-in-Europe standards for products like automobiles. Despite these initiatives, analysts warn that achieving substantial change will be challenging. This is not a choice between good, bad, and ugly outcomes, noted a prominent analyst. It is about degrees of bad and ugly.

Author: Aiden Foster