Xi Jinping in France: Chants of 'Free Tibet' echo in Paris streets amid Chinese leader's state visit
Xi Jinping arrived in Paris on a state visit on Sunday (May 5); Tibetan protestors in Paris
Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in France on Sunday (May 5) on a state visit where President Emmanuel Macron is expected to push his Chinese counterpart for a stronger stance against Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
Ahead of Xi's arrival in Paris, Tibetan protesters took to the streets against China's illegal occupation of Tibet. The People's Republic of China (PRC) annexed Tibet in 1951 after the Battle of Chamdo, following China's claim of sovereignty over the region on January 1, 1950.
The Chinese Communist Party calls these events the "Peaceful Liberation of Tibet", while the Tibetan diaspora and Central Tibetan Administration call it the "Chinese invasion of Tibet".
What does it mean?
Xi's arrival in Paris marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between France and China.
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Xi will also visit Serbia and Hungary.
Xi's choice of France as the sole major European power for a visit shows the signs of relative warmth in Sino-French relations since Macron visited China in April 2023 where he was acknowledged as an EU powerbroker.
Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, was welcomed under umbrellas at a drizzly Paris Orly airport by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
Also watch |Xi Jinping in France: Xi Jinping in Paris on a two-day visit, Ukraine, trade & investment top agenda
Xi is to hold a day of talks in Paris on Monday (May 6)with EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
Tuesday will see Macron take Xi to the Pyrenees mountains,an area he used to visit as a boy, for a day of less public talks.
In an op-ed for Le Figaro daily, Xi said that he wanted to work with the international community to find ways to solve the conflict sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukrainewhile adding that Beijing was "neither a party nor a participant" in the conflict.
"We hope that peace and stability will return quickly to Europe and intend to work with France and the entire international community to find good paths to resolve the crisis," he wrote.
(With inputs from agencies)