Xi calls for mutual trust in talks with French, EU leaders

China and France agreed on Thursday to keep bilateral ties stable and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation, and they pledged to maintain communication on the Ukraine crisis and play a positive role in achieving a political settlement.

President Xi Jinping and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron reached the agreement during their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Macron's visit is the first by a European head of state since the full resumption of China's exchanges with the world, which were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Xi gave Macron a grand welcoming ceremony before they held official talks.