French President Emmanuel Macron met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, using the visit to urge China to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine and to address growing trade tensions between Europe and the world’s second-largest economy.

The French president is hoping to attract more Chinese investment into France, whose major exports include aeronautics and luxury goods.

During his visit to China on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron will ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to "influence" Russia to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, BFM TV reports.

"We are counting on China, like us a permanent member of the Security Council... to lean on Russia, so that Russia and, in particular, Vladimir Putin can finally agree to a ceasefire," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday.