French President Emmanuel Macron has met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Macron urged Xi to "bring back Russia to reason" and to help end the war in Ukraine during his summit with the Chinese leader in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday afternoon. The French president began a three-day visit to China on Wednesday.

Prior to the meeting, Macron and Xi attended a welcoming ceremony, featuring a 21-gun salute by guards of honor.

In his opening remarks, Xi stated that China and France have a responsibility to promote multilateralism and to protect the peace, stability and prosperity of the world.

Xi said he believes the French president's visit will provide a new impetus for the further development of China's relations with Europe.

In response, Macron said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has ended decades of peace in Europe. He said he knows he can count on Xi to "bring back Russia to reason and everyone back to the negotiating table."

Macron is hoping to obtain pledges of cooperation from the Chinese leader to help bring peace to Ukraine. But it remains to be seen whether his visit can achieve such a result. Xi maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Macron and Xi are also expected to discuss bilateral economic cooperation. After the summit, they are expected to sign an agreement on economic and trade cooperation and hold a joint news conference.