French President Emmanuel Macron will make a rare trip to China next week as part of an uneasy juggling act between his aspirations to be a global leader and his scramble to quell pension demonstrations in his country.
The French president is attempting to keep his hectic diplomatic itinerary on track despite the violence and protests that have broken out throughout the country since he decided to force controversial pension reform through the legislature earlier this month.
Emmanuel Macron was forced to postpone an official visit by Britain's King Charles when wild sights of burning garbage in Paris were shown worldwide.
During Emmanuel Macron China visit, unions will organize their 11th national strike in response to the demonstrations, according to Reuters.
President Macron is also aiming to take back control of the Ukrainian conflict and assert himself as a statesman in Europe.
EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen Joins Emmanuel Macron China Visit
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will accompany Emmanuel Macron China visit. At a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, Macron announced at a news conference that he had proposed to von der Leyen that she join him in China on April 4 so that they could communicate with a "unified voice."
Emmanuel Macron noted: "I don't have a European mandate, as France has its independent diplomacy - but I'm attached to European coordination," according to Politico.
According to a Commission representative, von der Leyen will accompany Macron on his first trip to China as Commission president.
Human Rights Watch stated that Emmanuel Macron and von der Leyen should take this chance to establish Europe-China ties in a human rights context, as Chinese President Xi Jinping attempts to rebuild relations with France and other European nations and the European Union after abandoning China's harsh "zero-COVID" policy, per the organization's website.
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