France is “attached” to dialogue with China, says Colonna

by Laurie Chen and John Irish

BEIJING/PARIS (Reuters) – France is committed to dialogue with China, the head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, said on Friday during a visit to Beijing, while China is under investigation of the European Union on subsidies granted to electric vehicles.

Catherine Colonna was invited to Beijing by her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to participate in a session of the “high-level dialogue on human exchanges”.

“We are really committed to the dialogue with China,” Catherine Colonna told Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, adding that she was “honored” and “happy” to see him after their meeting in Paris in June.

“Both countries are permanent members of the Security Council (of the United Nations) and they have the responsibility (at the) international level to provide responses to the major challenges, in particular those of climate, biodiversity and everything that can enable to ease tensions in the world,” the Foreign Minister said during their meeting.

Catherine Colonna then spoke with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. During a press conference after the meeting, she welcomed the announcement on Friday by Beijing of a temporary visa exemption for French nationals.

“We very much thank China for its decision to exempt French people who would like to come to China for short stays from visas,” declared the minister.

“We will issue visas more than in the past [pour les ressortissants chinois, NDLR]faster in better conditions,” she announced in return.

ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE

Catherine Colonna’s visit comes as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Charles Michel are expected in the Chinese capital in December where they are due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

European officials have repeatedly pledged to reduce their economic dependence on China in sensitive sectors.

Emmanuel Macron, who met Xi Jinping earlier this year, said the EU must stop being naive and demand a level playing field with countries like China.

China is France’s third largest trading partner, but French and European businesses are concerned about the trade imbalance that exists between China and the EU, its opaque legislation on cross-border data transfers and cheap Chinese electric vehicles that flood the European market.

In September, the European Commission opened an investigation into the massive subsidies granted by China to its electric vehicle manufacturers, which allow them to undercut prices on the European market.

Beijing believes that the investigative measures proposed by the European Union are actually aimed at protecting its own industry.

60TH ANNIVERSARY

France is also concerned about China’s attempts to force French companies in the cosmetics sector to share their manufacturing secrets with Chinese entities.

Xi Jinping told Emmanuel Macron on Monday that China hoped France would provide a fair business environment for Chinese companies.

“China’s position is clear: we will continue to support Europe’s strategic autonomy,” Wang Yi declared on Friday following his meeting with Catherine Colonna.

Europe should not fear working with China because of competition, he added.

For his part, Li Qiang was optimistic about an expansion of bilateral relations during his meeting with Catherine Colonna.

“Under the strategic leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Macron, relations between China and France have been developing better and better since this year,” he said.

“Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and each of us maintains our efforts in the hope that this 60th year will see great development and breakthrough.”

(With the contribution of Dominique Patton and Judy Hua; French version Camille Raynaud and Blandine Hénault)