Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to Beijing, saying the two countries could transcend "differences" and "restraints", according to state media CCTV on Thursday.
Mr Xi praised close ties between the two countries, with relations maintaining positive and steady momentum, it said.
Mr Macron, who arrived on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, shook hands with Mr Xi outside the Great Hall of the People, the heart of power in the capital.
Mr Macron travelled to China with a 50-strong delegation of business leaders including the chief executives of Airbus, Alstom and EDF, Reuters said.
Thierry de la Tour d'Artaise, chairman of French firm SEB, which makes woks and rice cookers among other appliances, told Reuters: "It's very good that the president came. It shows the business community is supported by the president, it's very important vis-a-vis the Chinese authorities."
The French President told Mr Xi that he knows he can count on China to reason with Russia and bring all relevant parties back to the negotiating table.
"The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability," Mr Macron said.
"I know I can count on you to bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table."
Mr Macron, who is accompanied on his visit by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, said he wants to "be a voice that unites Europe" over Ukraine, and that coming to China with her serves to "underline the consistency of this approach".
Mr Macron earlier stressed the importance of dialogue between China and France "in these troubled times" in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People.
"The ability to share a common analysis and build a common path is essential," he said.
Macron and Xi to meet Von der Leyen
After Mr Macron's talks with Mr Xi, the pair will give statements, followed by a three-way meeting with Ms Von der Leyen and, finally, a state dinner.
The visit comes in the face of mounting Chinese pressure on Taiwan, with the island's President Tsai Ing-wen meeting in California with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Mr Macron said on Wednesday he did not think his Chinese counterparts had "a desire to overreact" to the meeting.
Mr Tsai said the talks showed the self-ruled island was "not isolated" on the international stage.
Beijing balks at any official contact between Taipei and the rest of the world, insisting there is only "one China".
China had repeatedly warned both sides the meeting should not take place and sent an aircraft carrier through waters near Taiwan hours before the talks went ahead.
Three additional warships were detected in waters separating the island from mainland China, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday.
BRAZIL%20SQUAD
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
FINAL SCORES
Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)
Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs
(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
