News
France Presses China for Clarity on Stance Towards Russia in Ukraine Conflict
France’s top diplomat said on Monday that Paris wants China to send “clear messages” to its strategic ally Russia over its war in Ukraine, after meetings with his counterpart in Beijing.
France and China have sought to strengthen ties in recent years and, during meetings in Paris in February, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told President Emmanuel Macron that Beijing appreciated his country’s “independent” stance.
But Paris has also sought to press Beijing on its ties with Moscow, which have only grown closer since the invasion of Ukraine.
While China says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for its offensive.
Paris has, in contrast, become one of Kyiv’s firmest backers, with Macron in February even refusing to rule out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Monday that Beijing “plays a key role in… the respect of international law, including on Ukraine’s sovereignty, and therefore we are clearly expecting that China will send very clear messages to Russia”.
“We are convinced that there will be no lasting peace if it is not negotiated with the Ukrainians,” he told a press conference in Beijing, speaking alongside his Chinese counterpart Wang.
“There will be no security for Europeans if there is no peace in accordance with international law,” he continued.
“It is an essential issue for us, which is why France is determined to maintain a close dialogue with China,” he said.
– ‘Closeness’ –
Sejourne’s visit is the second to China by a French foreign minister in less than six months, following a trip by his predecessor Catherine Colonna in November.
On Monday afternoon he met with Premier Li Qiang at Beijing’s opulent Great Hall of the People, telling China’s number two official he wanted to discuss “global situations that are fracturing and dividing the world today”.
“I am thinking of the situation in the Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” he said.
Li said he was “very happy” to welcome the minister to Beijing.
“Our two countries have a long history and splendid civilisations,” Li said, hailing their shared “spirit of independence and autonomy”.
“This explains why China and France have a natural sense of closeness,” he said.
Macron also visited last April, receiving a rock star welcome at a university in southern China from hundreds of screaming students and fans.
But he faced accusations of cosying up to Beijing and sparked controversy by saying Europe shouldn’t be a “follower” of the United States in the event of conflict with China over Taiwan.
His foreign minister’s visit this week comes as part of events marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China.
Sejourne will later in the day take part in the launch of the “Versailles and the Forbidden City” exhibition, where around 60 works of art and valuables from the palace can be viewed by the public until the end of June.
– ‘Derisking’ not ‘decoupling’ –
France’s efforts to improve ties with Beijing come as the EU seeks to shield itself from excessive reliance on China.
That “derisking” has emerged in recent months as a core pillar of the European bloc’s economic policy towards China, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The term contrasts with the more drastic approach known as “decoupling” — pursued by some policymakers in the United States who aim to isolate China or cut all commercial ties with the country.
The EU increasingly views China as a “partner”, but also as “an economic competitor and systemic rival”, a report by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said last month.
In Beijing on Monday, Sejourne said decoupling was not on the cards.
But, he said, an “economic rebalancing” was needed to ensure trade was “healthy and sustainable”.
Foreign Minister Wang, in turn, said he “appreciates” Sejourne’s rejection of decoupling.
“It is not possible to decouple from China, and decoupling from China is the biggest risk,” Wang said.
“I believe that it has been proved, and will continue to prove, that China is an opportunity and not a risk for Europe. Both sides are partners and not rivals”.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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