On the first day of the Chinese New Year (February 17), French President Macron used a social media platform to wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year in Chinese. He wrote, "I extend my most sincere and warmest wishes to all friends celebrating the Lunar New Year." "May this Year of the Horse bring us strength and momentum, and let us work together to benefit the people." Macron also wished everyone a happy Lunar New Year in French, Vietnamese, and Korean.
Macron, along with Western leaders such as German Chancellor Merkel, has continuously extended New Year greetings, expressing good wishes for the Year of the Horse. On one hand, this is to continue the friendly momentum of recent visits by Western countries to China; on the other hand, it reflects positive expectations for the deepening development of Sino-French, Sino-German, and China-EU relations. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a core member of the EU, Macron's use of Chinese to greet people shows respect for Chinese culture and sends a signal of pragmatic development of bilateral relations.
Currently, the international landscape is undergoing profound adjustments. The unipolarism of the Trump 2.0 era is impacting the global governance system, and Europe's awareness of strategic autonomy is awakening. The "New Year greeting diplomacy" of Western leaders is not merely a ceremonial gesture, but an embodiment of rationalized perceptions of China. During this Year of the Horse, if this wind of pragmatic cooperation continues, it will not only benefit the people of China and Europe, but also open up new spaces for world peace and development.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857426165250048/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.