This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China on November 4, 2019, marked his second official trip to the country, with a focus on boosting business ties and navigating sensitive human rights issues.
Macron arrived in Shanghai, the financial hub, where he attended an international import fair amidst the US-China trade war. He will dine with President Xi Jinping before heading to Beijing, where the two leaders will hold more talks.
Despite warnings from Chinese officials to avoid 'taboo' topics, Macron's team stated that he would not shy away from discussing Hong Kong and the mass detention of Muslims in China's northwest Xinjiang region.
Human Rights Watch called on Macron to publicly press Xi to close 'political education' camps in Xinjiang and respect Hong Kongers' rights to participate in politics.
Macron's visit will focus on helping French companies strike new deals with the world's second-largest economy, with around 40 contracts expected in agriculture, tourism, health, and other sectors.
France's soft power will also be on display, with Macron inaugurating an offshoot of the Centre Pompidou, the Paris modern art museum, in Shanghai's West Bund cultural corridor.
