PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron and his counterpart Joe Biden “agreed on the importance of continuing to engage” China in helping to end the war in Ukraine, the French presidency said on Thursday after talks by phone between the leaders.

In a statement, Macron’s office said the president had briefed Biden about “the results obtained” during his visit in the first week of this month to Beijing where the French leader spent several hours in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The French statement added: “China has a role to play in contributing, in the medium term, in ending the conflict in accordance with the principles and aims of the United Nations charter.

“The two heads of state agreed on the importance of continuing to engage Chinese authorities on this basis.”

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2023