Macron welcomes China's pledge to avoid arming Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed China's commitment to "refrain from supplying any weapons" to Russia and from giving it any assistance. He made these remarks during a joint press conference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to Le Figaro.
Macron stated that France "respects the longstanding ties between China and Russia." At the same time, he highlighted that despite these ties, Beijing had found the strength "not to offer military aid to Russia."
"In light of this complex history, we welcome the Chinese authorities' commitment to abstain from the sale of weapons or providing assistance to Moscow and to strictly control the export of dual-use goods," said the French President.
Furthermore, he emphasized that Paris is committed to "maintaining a close dialogue" with China. According to Macron, Xi Jinping's visit was notable as an opportunity to ensure that Beijing "will not explicitly support Russia's military efforts."
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in France on May 5th, embarking on a multi-day tour of European countries.