Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted French President Emmanuel Macron on a rare sightseeing trip to Chengdu, signaling Beijing's strong focus on France within Europe. Despite the warm reception, the visit yielded few significant commercial deals or a thaw in EU-China trade tensions.

• Macron's visit resulted in only 12 cooperation agreements in areas like population aging, nuclear energy, and panda conservation, with no monetary total disclosed.
• Key figures involved include Chinese leader Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by heads of France's biggest firms.
• China utilized the trip to bolster its diplomatic credentials and potentially exploit divisions within the EU regarding its trade policies, particularly on electric vehicles.