China-France Ties: French President Emmanuel Macron wraps up state visit to China

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French President Emmanuel Macron has wrapped up his three-day China visit, which aimed to boost ties between China and the eurozone's second largest economy. Let's review his visit -- starting with a thoughtful gift he gave to China.

The French president tried out his own version of China's famed "panda diplomacy" on the first day of his trip to China - by gifting Chinese President Xi Jinping a French horse.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "I prepared for this visit to China by going with my family to visit a panda cub, and I brought you, not as part of the delegation, but a few days before, a horse."

Macron said the horse belonged to France's Republican Guard, and was a symbol of the ties he wanted to develop with China.

He had kicked off his visit to China in Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road in northwest China, in a nod to the Belt and Road Initiative which is designed to revive the famous trading route.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "We have to know that we can cooperate on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative in the future. No matter what, it is my ambition. We hope the Belt and Road can make us succeed and progress together."

And China shares the same hopes for cooperation.

XI JINPING CHINESE PRESIDENT "As world powers with long historical and cultural heritage and as permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France shoulder special responsibilities and historical missions. We'll carry on our friendship and start our new work. We'll safeguard and develop China-France relations."

While meeting President Xi for talks in Beijing, the two presidents oversaw the signing of multi-million dollars deals ranging from energy to automobiles, to sustainable urban development and pharmaceuticals.

Macron wraps up his visit after attending a climate change roundtable meeting in Beijing, and might go back home with some new Airbus orders from China, which historically have been featured prominently during such visits by French leaders.

Though no new orders were announced during Macron's visit, the French president said a contract with China for 184 Airbus A320 narrow-body jets would be finalized soon.

The potential deal would be worth more than 18 billion dollars, with the airliners to be delivered in 2019 and 2020.