Macron's China visit, Putin's India trip will show Europe no longer sets the agenda

Both are likely to return home empty-handed when it comes to trade and Ukraine war

- Jonathan Eyal Global Affairs Correspondent

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi receiving French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte at Beijing's airport on Dec 3. Diplomatic sources in Paris were quoted as saying Mr Macron "is going to China without great illusions about his ability to influence Beijing's position on Ukraine and on trade". REUTERS

(PHOTO: REUTERS)

Two European leaders are visiting major Asian nations this week.

French President Emmanuel Macron is now on a three-day tour of China, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in India for a two-day visit on Dec 4.

Both presidents hope to bolster their nations' precarious global trade positions. And both of them are also seeking Asia's support for their respective stances on the war in Ukraine.

Yet, although they are guaranteed a friendly reception and plenty of good banquets, neither Mr Macron nor Mr Putin is likely to return home with more than just lukewarm reassurances.

The French President's current visit to China is his fourth since he came to power in 2017 and, at least according to the official view in Paris, also his grandest.

As leaders of many other countries have discovered, securing even a one-hour meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is far from easy. But he appears to have been very generous with the time he is granting the visiting French President.

Apart from meetings in Beijing, Mr Xi will accompany Mr Macron on a visit to the Sichuan capital of Chengdu, an honour rarely granted.

Still, Le Monde, one of France's top daily newspapers, quoted diplomatic sources in Paris as claiming that Mr Macron "is going to China without great illusions about his ability to influence Beijing's position on Ukraine and on trade".

European leaders have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of China's alleged support for Russia's military operations in Ukraine.