China has key role to play in avoiding nuclear escalation: France’s Macron
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France's President Emmanuel Macron said he was confident a trade dispute with China that is affecting France’s Cognac producers can be resolved positively.
PHOTO: AFP
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RIO DE JANEIRO - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Nov 19 that China has an important role to play in avoiding nuclear escalation, after Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike
Mr Macron met China’s President Xi Jinping on Nov 19 in Rio de Janeiro as part of the G-20 summit, and said he asked him to put pressure on Mr Putin to end the war with Ukraine. He also called for Mr Putin to show “reason”.
Mr Macron said North Korea’s decision to send troops to fight in Ukraine had raised the stakes for China, and that it should push for a de-escalation after Mr Putin’s decision to change Russia’s nuclear doctrine.
Mr Putin approved the change as Ukraine used US ATACMS missiles to strike deeper into Russian territory, taking advantage of newly granted permission from the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden on the war’s 1,000th day.
Mr Macron, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the summit, said he would invite US President-elect Donald Trump and US billionaire ally Elon Musk to France in February for an artificial intelligence summit.
He also said he was confident a trade dispute with China that is affecting France’s Cognac producers can be resolved positively, adding that Prime Minister Michel Barnier would travel to China in 2025. REUTERS
