Upset with America, French president Emmanuel Macron sends ‘welcome message’ to China with a request: Don’t export devices to Europe which …
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday (January 21) sent a “welcome” message to Beijing, inviting Chinese investment in the region, Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. However, the invitation came with a stern ultimatum regarding the quality and nature of Chinese exports: end to the “dumping” of subsidised, sub-standard goods in the region.“China is welcome, but what we need is more Chinese foreign direct investments in Europe, in some key sectors, to contribute to our growth, to transfer some technologies, and not just to export towards Europe, some devices or products which sometimes don’t have the same standards, or are much more subsidized, than the ones being produced in Europe,” Macron said.
“It’s not being protectionist, it’s just restoring this level playing field and protecting our industry,” said Macron, who was wearing sunglasses, in front of a gathering at the event.
Macron advocated for ‘European preference’
The French President also warned that China’s current approach threatens to overwhelm the machine tool and automobile sectors.“So, from safeguard clauses to European preferences and incentives for more FDI, this strategy is absolutely key,” Macron added.“And in parallel, protecting our economies, will also require a resilience strategy, on both imports and exports, to derisk supply chains, particularly for raw materials, semiconductors, chips, and to diversify our trade partners,” he said.The remarks come at a time of a heightened transatlantic rift over trade and Greenland. Following President Donald Trump‘s recent announcement of steep tariffs on nations opposing his plan to annex Greenland, Macron condemned American trade weaponisation.“Competition from the United States of America through trade agreements that undermine our export interests, demand maximum concessions and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe, combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable – even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty,” Macron said.“And competition from China, where massive excess capacities and distortive practices threaten to overwhelm entire industrial and commercial sectors. Export control has become more dangerous, new tools destabilizing global trade and the international system,” the President noted.Macros emphasised that “the answer, in order to fix this issue, is more cooperation”. He said building new approaches will build “more economic sovereignty and strategic economy, especially for the Europeans, which, for me, is the core answer.”
