Beijing - French President Emmanuel Macron has embarked on a visit to Beijing accompanied by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, a visit poised to pave way for the future of the bloc's relations with China after years of strained ties.

Premier Li Qiang welcomed Macron at the Great Hall of the People, ahead of the summit with President Xi Jinping, expected to take place later in the day.

Macron said that Europe should resist reducing trade and diplomatic ties with China despite tensions with the West over issues such as Taiwan, sensitive technologies, and China's relationship with Russia.

On her first visit to China since taking office in 2019, von der Leyen stated that Europe must "de-risk" its relations with China because China has moved from an era of reform and opening to one of security and control.

The relationship between Europe and China has soured during von der Leyen's tenure, mainly due to tit-for-tat sanctions that stalled an investment pact in 2021 and Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. However, as China emerges from years of sparse diplomatic activity caused by the pandemic border controls, it is keen to ensure that Europe does not follow what it perceives as U.S.-led efforts to contain its rise.

Expectations are high for Macron's visit to Beijing. State media outlet Global Times’s editorial stated that it is expected to produce concrete results in furthering economic and trade cooperation between China and France, as well as to increase political mutual trust.

However, various forces in Europe and the U.S. are closely monitoring Macron's visit and exerting influence in different directions. In other words, not everyone wants to see Macron's visit to China go smoothly and successfully.

Macron and von der Leyen will also have a "working lunch" with Chinese Premier Li, followed by separate talks with President Xi Jinping, and finally, a trilateral meeting in the evening.

The talks are mainly aimed at persuading China to use its influence over Russia to bring peace to Ukraine and to discourage Beijing from supporting Moscow directly in the conflict. Some analysts suggest that Macron will play the role of the convivial "good cop," promoting a "reset" in China-EU ties, while von der Leyen presses the thornier issues and red lines in those relations.

Von der Leyen tweeted on Thursday morning after meeting with the European Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, saying that China is a crucial trade partner, but EU businesses face many discriminatory hurdles, and the future of EU-China relations is complex and extensive.

Macron is traveling with a large business delegation, including Airbus, LVMH, and EDF, and is expected to announce deals with China. However, some back home view this as a problematic signal to send, as the debate in Europe focuses on its dependence on China and Chinese interference.

Raphael Glucksmann, a left-wing member of the European parliament, wrote on Twitter that three-quarters of the delegation are business leaders, and the message is inopportune at a time when the discussion in Europe is on their suicidal dependency on China.