French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to boost cooperation on geopolitics, trade and the environment, as the European Union seeks China's help in ending the war in Ukraine and Beijing looks for diplomatic wins from the U.

China and France pledged deeper cooperation on global issues like the war in Ukraine and trade, as France prepares to take on the presidency of the Group of Seven next year.

State visits such as French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to China are very useful to keep the communication between governments and reinforce business ties, according to Cathay Capital's Managing Partner Bruno Bezard,

The French leader is seeking to involve Beijing in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire with Ukraine after a recent burst of diplomacy around a U.S.-led peace plan.

The two leaders signed 12 cooperation agreements following their talks, covering population ageing, bilateral investment, nuclear energy, and panda conservation.