Macron, Merkel hold video talks with Xi Jinping

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed issues ranging from climate change and trade to human rights in Monday video talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the French presidency said.

The talks were held to calibrate positions ahead of several global meetings in the autumn including the COP26 summit on fighting global warming, to be hosted by the UK in Glasgow, as well as the G20 summit in Rome.

On climate change, Macron and Merkel discussed with Xi the importance of ending the financing of coal-fired power stations, it said. On trade, the German and French leaders reaffirmed "European expectations on access to the Chinese market and fair competition conditions."