Macron’s China visit critical to China–EU relations: former Polish deputy PM

Former Polish Deputy Prime Minister Grzegorz Kołodko said French President Emmanuel Macron's upcoming visit to China not only concerns the deepening of China-France bilateral cooperation but will also inject new vitality into China-EU ties.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron will pay a state visit to China from Dec. 3 to 5.

In an interview with China Global Television (CGTN), Kołodko said Macron's visit will have a critical impact on China-Europe relations.

"I would say it's critical. I do remember his previous visit to China when he met with Chinese leader President Xi Jinping a couple of years ago. This visit of Macron has contributed not only to the bilateral cooperation between France and China, but also in getting momentum for improvement of the relations between whole European Union and China," he said.

Kołodko notes that today's geopolitical landscape is "more challenging and more complex" due to multiple global issues.

"From that reason, the political dimension of President Macron's visit, I think, is more important now than a couple of years ago. So do expect some good news from visit of President Macron to Beijing. We should support the deepening of the cooperation between China and France, because it is also good for the cooperation between the whole European Union and China," he said.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, stayed flat at 6.9228 against the U.S. dollar Friday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.