PARIS (AP) — How to ease trade tensions with the all-powerful leader of economic powerhouse China? Delight him with a bottle or two of cognac.
That seemed to be French President Emmanuel Macron’s strategy with his carefully curated gift list for visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday.
China recently opened an anti-dumping investigation into European cognac – which mainly means French cognac. It is seen as retaliation for EU investigations into Chinese subsidies for electric cars It is medical devices.
These disputes were central to negotiations between Xi and Macron on Monday. Macron later said he thanked Xi for his “openness on the provisional measures regarding French cognac.”
In accordance with protocol for formal state visits, the two leaders exchanged gifts.
Xi presented the French president with an impressive stuffed bird, books in French published in China and a painting. Macron offered rare volumes of Victor Hugo, the first French-Chinese dictionary, a carved glass vase from Amboise – and two bottles of cognac, a Hennessy XO and an award-winning Louis XIII by Remy Martin.
