Europe live: China’s Xi arrives in Paris with trade and Ukraine on agenda

Chinese premier to meet Macron and Von der Leyen who will urge him to reduce trade imbalances and use his influence with Russia

Ahead of Xi’s visit to Paris, Human Rights Watch called on the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to “stand firm on rights in China.”

“President Macron should make it clear to Xi Jinping that Beijing’s crimes against humanity come with consequences for China’s relations with France,” said Maya Wang, acting China director at Human Rights Watch.

Respect for human rights has severely deteriorated under Xi Jinping’s rule. His government has committed crimes against humanity – including mass detention, forced labor, and cultural persecution – against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, adopted draconian legislation that has erased Hong Kong’s freedoms, and intensified repression of government critics across the country.