French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting. File photo

Macron has not hidden his hope that Beijing, which remains an important ally of Moscow and has not condemned the invasion of Ukraine launched nearly a year ago, will pressure Russia to return to the negotiating table.

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In Paris on Wednesday, Macron and Wang discussed the war and its "consequences on the most vulnerable countries, particularly in terms of food security and financing capacity," according to the French presidency.

Wang Yi shakes hands with Catherine Colonna as they attend a meeting in Paris, France, on Wednesday. Reuters

Both Macron and Wang "expressed the same objective of contributing to peace in accordance with international law", the Elysee Palace said, without specifying what each country's contributions might be.

After his visit to France, Wang will continue his tour with a stop at the Munich Security Conference, scheduled for Friday to Sunday. He will also travel to Moscow.

The French president spoke of cooperation with China in the face of "global challenges", including the climate crisis.

Later Wednesday, Wang met with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. On Thursday he will hold talks on strategic issues with Macron's diplomatic advisor, Emmanuel Bonne.

Agence France-Presse