China’s Xi, Europe Leaders Said to Plan Talks as Tensions Flare
- Merkel, Macron expected to hold video call with China’s leader
- China, EU relations have chilled over human-rights disputes
Photographer: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
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China’s Xi Jinping is expected to speak this week with Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Emmanuel Macron, people with knowledge of the matter said, as they attempt to keep human rights disputes from scuttling efforts at cooperation.
The agenda for the joint video call between the leaders isn’t yet known, according to the people, who asked not to be named since the information isn’t public. The French and German leaders have held similar discussions with Xi in the past, including a Dec. 30 call with top European Union officials that resulted in a now-stalled investment agreement.