China's top leader visited Europe from May 5 to 10, with France as the first stop. French media outlet La Depeche reported that the top leaders of China and France will have dinner together in the Pyrenees. What is so special about this?
Macron's "second home"
The Pyrenees are the natural border between France and Spain, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, with a length of about 435 kilometers, and are the largest mountain range in southwestern Europe. Not too many Chinese tourists visit, but Europeans are familiar with it, as it is a skiing and hiking destination, the Pyrenees, France's most famous natural national park, and the Tour de France.
At the foot of the hill there is a small town called Turmalai. It is also called his second home by Macron.
Macron's grandmother was born in the Pyrenees, and Macron used to visit his grandmother as a child, spending long winter and summer vacations here. According to the French Broadcasting Internationale Group, Macron's grandmother had a great influence on him. Macron's cousin, Arnal, recalled, "It was thanks to his grandmother that Macron was where he is now. She remembers that Manette, the grandmother of the principal at the time, urged Macron to study every day, even during the holidays.
Although his grandmother passed away in 2013, Macron still comes here almost every year to place a few plain flowers in front of his grandmother's grave. Mahron's childhood friend Abadi said, "A tree, if you want it to stand on its feet, needs roots." ”
By the way, this is the same Abadi, who will receive the Chinese leader and Macron in his restaurant, L'Étape du Berger. He prepares a menu of lamb shoulder, black pork ham and tarbeans, a selection of cheeses, and a dessert of first lady Brigitte's blueberry pie. In addition, there will be a tasting of local wines: Montes Red and Saint-Monte White.
Sincere and subtle special arrangement
Speaking to the French press, Abadi said: "It is not for nothing if Macron chooses this place that he cherishes and is very attached to. ”
That's right, French President Emmanuel Macron visited China last year and was cordially received by the Chinese side at Pine Garden in Guangzhou.
According to Bloomberg, Macron intends to deepen personal relations with China's top leaders. The French president wants to host dignitaries here and make the town of Turmalai part of history, AFP said. According to the French broadcasting bloc, Macron is trying to establish a sincere dialogue, which is the most subtle way he can think of.
From the bustling Paris to the quiet mountains, you can see the colorful peaks in the distance, see the cattle and sheep grazing up close, and listen to the wind and bells. It's really easier to open up.
Complex and difficult closed-door discussions
Macron told the media a few days ago: "It is better to discuss issues of disagreement behind closed doors. In the Pyrenees, he would like to talk about climate change, economic and trade issues, and Ukraine. None of this is easy to talk about.
The first binding international agreement on climate change in history was signed in France, the Paris Agreement. As a result, the French have a special concern for climate protection. China does not need to be urged by others, and has taken the initiative to achieve the goals of carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. At the same time, China has always adhered to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", and developed countries have emitted a large amount of greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution, and should take the lead in tackling climate change, rather than blindly putting pressure on developing countries, let alone using this as an excuse to restrict their right to development.
China-EU economic and trade frictions have attracted a lot of attention recently. In recent years, the European side has hyped up the "EU-China trade deficit", "reducing dependence on China", "Huawei's 5G security risks", "China's over-subsidy for electric vehicles" and "China's overcapacity". If you can't outrun others, you will stumble, which is not the right way to compete. Paris is going to host the Olympics in July this year, and I hope that France will take this opportunity to relive the spirit of competition.
Recently, Macron's stance on the Ukraine issue has been extremely tough, repeatedly reiterating that "the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine cannot be ruled out", saying that "Russia must lose", and trying to create a "political strongman" persona. Deutsche Welle reported that Macron also wants to mobilize China to show strength and pressure on Russia. Europe has followed the United States, screwed up relations with Russia, ignited the flames of war on its doorstep, and left China, 8,000 kilometers away, to clean up the mess. This doesn't make sense logically, and it's impossible to realize.
The mountains, with their ups and downs, are steep and rugged, just like Sino-French relations. It is hoped that climbers will not be afraid of clouds and clouds, take one step at a time, and insist on moving towards the peak.
Text: Zhongshan Lu Editor: Thinking about it