French President Emmanuel Macron called for a change in approach to monetary policy at the European Central Bank to boost the single market and protect it from the risks of financial crisis.

French first lady Brigitte Macron has reunited with a giant panda born in France during a visit to China with President Emmanuel Macron.

BEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Chinese leader Xi Jinping accompanied French President Emmanuel Macron to Chengdu on Friday, a rare gesture seemingly reserved for the head of Europe's second-largest economy that highlights Beijing's focus on Paris in its ties with the European Union.

Emmanuel Macron went to China this week bearing gifts of Hermès scarves and returned with promises of pandas, but the apparent bonhomie between the French president and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping could not hide a growing malaise in ties between their two nations.

As President Emmanuel Macron of France visited China, its leader, Xi Jinping, said his country would play a constructive role in ending the fighting.

Beijing may see friendly ties with France as a way into expanding its influence within the E.U., but is constrained in its ability to offer Paris major concessions.

French President Emmanuel Macron will lobby his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, this week to try to avert tariffs on dairy and pork exports to China.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Europe and Ukraine now have numerous arguments and tools to pressure Russia in negotiations to secure peace in Ukraine – what remains is to reconcile the positions of Ukraine,