ISTANBUL (AA) - Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday at an informal meeting in China's southwestern Sichuan province, state-run Xinhua News reported.

BEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - China's President Xi Jinping met French President Emmanuel Macron in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday, state media said, a rare instance of the head of the world's second-largest economy accompanying a guest beyond Beijing.

The French president and his wife Brigitte will head to the city of Chengdu in the southwestern Sichuan province. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

By Joe Cash and Michel Rose BEIJING/PARIS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to boost cooperation on geopolitics, trade and the environment, as the European Union seeks China's help in ending the war in Ukraine and Beijing looks for economic wins from U.

During a state visit, the French president urged President Xi Jinping to take a harsher stance on Russia and smooth out trade imbalances. Despite signing 12 agreements, Xi’s remained noncommittal on these larger questions.

French leader Emmanuel Macron concluded his fourth state visit to China on Friday in the southwestern city of Chengdu, striking a more relaxed note