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French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to avoid tariffs on Cognac and to support ceasefires in Ukraine and Gaza, as the leaders discussed trade tensions and global conflicts.
During a call on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about growing trade tensions and international conflicts, focusing on economic cooperation and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Macron asked Xi to protect French Cognac exports from Chinese tariffs, warning that a level playing field is essential for French businesses operating in China. He stressed that while France welcomes Chinese investment, French companies should receive equal treatment.
“We’ve agreed to move quickly on resolving the Cognac issue, which is vital for our producers,” Macron said in a social media post.
China is currently investigating French Cognac imports in a trade probe widely seen as retaliation for France’s strong backing of EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles last October. A final decision is expected by July.
French Economy Minister Eric Lombard recently met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris to address the issue, but their lengthy talks ended without resolution. He insisted Chinese authorities would decide the outcome independently.
Beyond trade, Macron pledged to cooperate with China in pushing for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and called for renewed collaboration on peace in the Middle East. He said France and China will jointly prepare for a June peace conference in New York aimed at advancing a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Macron is scheduled to visit Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore next week as part of a regional tour to strengthen France’s role in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s economic and territorial assertiveness continues to grow.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised address to urge people across the country to take part in cancer screening programmes, officials confirmed.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday (12 December) as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
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