French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to set out plans for reforming the European Union at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Ludovic Marin/Pool
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that China has a special role in resolving the crisis around the Korean peninsula. The French leader said this on Thursday during a speech to French diplomats at the Elysee Palace.

“In a few days I will have an opportunity to talk with the Chinese president (Chairman Xi Jinping – ed.) about this, because I believe that China has a special role in helping to calm this situation,” said Macron.

He stressed that “the Chinese president demonstrates his full understanding of this problem, which is already not a regional but a global one.”

“We will seek a political solution to put an end to North Korea’s provocations and open the way to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” Macron said.

“Today it is important that, thanks to diplomatic pressure, we manage to create channels for discussing this situation with North Korea,” the French president said.

According to him, the situation around the DPRK “shows that the lack of dialogue and international framework does not solve the problem.”

French President Emmanuel Macron will leave for China on a four-day visit on January 7. As reported earlier in the Elysee Palace, this visit will allow the two leaders “to establish personal contacts and a comprehensive strategic partnership to solve the main challenges, including the situation around North Korea, the fight against the financing of terrorism and global warming.”