Politics

For the first time in five years, Xi Jinping visited Europe. China’s leader was welcomed by his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, who pressed him to help end the war in Ukraine and to establish a more balanced trade relationship. Mr Xi gave little ground. He then moved on to Serbia, where he commemorated the 25th anniversary of America’s bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. “This we should never forget,” he wrote in a piece for a Serbian newspaper. Mr Xi wrapped up his tour in Hungary, a member of the EU and NATO that is also a staunch supporter of China. Mr Xi praised its “independent” foreign policy.