Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun three-way talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Xi is on his first tour of Europe in five years. On Monday, he was welcomed by President Macron at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris before the discussions started around 11 a.m.
As the meeting started, Macron said the current global situation calls for dialogue between Europe and China more than ever.
Xi said China and the EU should sustain a solid partnership as the world's two important powers. He said they should develop stable and healthy relations and constantly contribute to global peace and prosperity.
After the talks, von der Leyen told reporters that they discussed what she describes as the distortion of the competitive landscape in the EU market by China. She blamed China for flooding the market with Chinese products that were supported by Chinese government subsidies and overproduced.
The European Union is aiming to reduce risks in its relationships with China by diminishing dependence on Beijing while maintaining economic relations with the country.
Following a welcoming ceremony later in the day, Xi and Macron will have a one-on-one meeting from around 4 p.m.
They are expected to discuss bilateral relations and the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Xi will also stop in Serbia and Hungary during his European tour through Friday.
Xi appears to be trying to strengthen ties with these European countries to keep Washington in check.