Macron urged to raise HK issue during China visit

French officials say Emmanuel Macron will not shy away from raising sensitive issues, but Beijing has warned against interfering. File photo: AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in China on Monday to drum up new business deals, but under warning from his hosts to keep off thorny issues such as the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.



Landing in the afternoon, Macron will begin his second official trip to China in the financial hub of Shanghai where he will attend an international import fair against the backdrop of the US-China trade war.



He will have dinner with President Xi Jinping before heading to Beijing, where the two will hold more talks, with French officials saying Macron will not shy away from "taboo" topics including Hong Kong and the mass detention of Muslims in Xinjiang region.



Human Rights Watch called on Macron to publicly press Xi to close "political education" camps in Xinjiang and respect Hong Kongers' rights to participate in politics.



Zhu Jing, a European affairs official at the foreign ministry, said China has prepared the "friendliest and warmest welcome" for the French leader.



But Zhu also warned that on human rights, the two countries should have "constructive" dialogue and avoid "mutually criticising each other or politicising the issue".



"Hong Kong and Xinjiang are matters of China's internal affairs. It is not relevant to put them on the diplomatic agenda," Zhu told reporters last week.



But Macron's visit will focus on helping French companies strike new deals with the world's second-largest economy.



France's soft power will also be on display, with Macron inaugurating an offshoot of the Centre Pompidou, the Paris modern art museum, in Shanghai's West Bund cultural corridor. (AFP)