Beware of Chinese leader Xi Jinping bearing gifts. When Xi opens his wallet, it's never with a simple economic agenda.

This bears relevance in light of Xi's announcement in Paris on Tuesday that China will buy 300 jets from Airbus. That purchase order will benefit the French economy to the tune of around $34 billion. But while China says this purchase is designed to strengthen its domestic aviation sector, that's only the pretense. What this deal is really about is encouraging France to separate from the U.S. on matters affecting Chinese foreign policy.

The most obvious Chinese interest here is getting France to oppose U.S. efforts to constrain the Chinese telecommunications firm, Huawei. To its credit, the Trump administration has taken a harsh stance on Huawei, warning allies that if they allow the Chinese intelligence cutout to enter their telecommunications networks, they will lose out on U.S. intelligence support and economic opportunities.

But it's not just about Huawei. China also wants to prevent France from following Britain in supporting U.S. efforts to ensure the Indo-Pacific region remains open and free. As more nations support U.S. efforts to challenge China's imperial aggression in that region, China finds it harder to retain international legitimacy. China is also weakened by its reliance on allies of weak interest and political toxicity, such as Pakistan, and by its own domestic conduct because that legitimacy deficit weakens Xi's political influence, economic interests, and military power. Although, it must be said, China's cultivation of top research institutions such as Harvard University earns Beijing some political cover.

The U.S. cannot sit idle here. It must consolidate Emmanuel Macron to oppose even Xi's marginal interests. It's a relevant concern in that some European nations are already yielding to Xi. Italy, for example, just last week joined Beijing's Belt and Road initiative. That program is the cornerstone of Xi's effort to reshape international economics away from the U.S. free trade orbit, and into a mercantilism-feudal system with China at the top.

Fortunately, there is good cause for American optimism here. France is a better American ally than Italy (Rome should face U.S. economic retaliation for bowing to Xi), and recognizes the value of America's rule-of-law based economic system over China's cronyism. Xi is likely to be disappointed here.

Still, this vast Airbus purchase is a clear window to Chinese strategy. Xi is willing to spend big to try and buy friends.