Pandas, Ping-Pong and Diplomacy: Macron Ends China Visit With Softer Finale in Chengdu

French President Emmanuel Macron concluded his fourth state visit to China with a quieter, more informal finale in Chengdu after intense talks in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping over Ukraine and trade.

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, joined the Chinese presidential couple for a more personal meeting away from the Great Hall of the People. Macron said he felt "very touched" by the departure from strict protocol — a reciprocal gesture after hosting Xi in the Pyrenees in May 2024 — and framed the visit as a sign of growing mutual trust and a desire to "act together" amid rising global tensions and growing trade imbalances.

Mount Qingcheng And Ancient Engineering

After the Pyrenees meet, Xi escorted Macron to the slopes of Mount Qingcheng, roughly 726 metres above sea level, where the delegation visited an imposing dam and an irrigation system dating to the third century BC. The two presidential couples ended the visit with a private lunch before the Macrons continued with a lighter, more personal itinerary.

Panda Diplomacy

Chengdu — China's fourth-largest city with around 21 million residents and a reputation for cultural openness — hosted a number of symbolic events. Brigitte Macron visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where two 17-year-old pandas that had been loaned to France in 2012 were recently returned.

There she met Yuan Meng, the first giant panda born in France in 2017, for whom she is the designated "godmother"; Yuan Meng returned to China in 2023. China has long used panda loans as diplomatic gestures, sending cubs born abroad back to Chengdu after a few years to participate in breeding and rehabilitation programs aimed at reintroduction to the wild.

Ping-Pong And People-To-People Ties

President Macron also met French table tennis stars Alexis and Félix Lebrun, who rose to prominence during the 2024 Paris Olympics and were competing in the Mixed Team Table Tennis World Cup in China. The meetings underscored the cultural and personal dimensions of the state visit alongside political talks.

Tentative Signals On Ukraine And Trade

In Beijing, Macron urged Xi to help work toward an end to the war in Ukraine and pressed for steps to correct trade imbalances affecting France and the European Union. While China has called for peace talks and respect for territorial integrity, it has not condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion and denies Western accusations that it provides Russia with material support for its war effort.

The visit produced a diplomatic step on investment: a letter of intent was signed in which Xi said he was prepared to "increase reciprocal investments" to foster a fairer trading environment. The measure was presented as a tentative positive signal amid remaining geopolitical differences.

Overall: The Chengdu leg blended high-stakes diplomacy with symbolic gestures — pandas, ping-pong and shared cultural moments — reflecting an effort by both sides to combine personal rapport with continued political engagement.