During his state visit to the White House on Thursday, France’s Emmanuel Macron was scheduled to be greeted by President Joe Biden. During the visit, he would participate in opulent ceremonies and hold serious discussions about how to manage a growing China and transatlantic trade.
Before the two presidents meet in the Oval Office for what are anticipated to be substantial discussions as they seek to defuse tensions over what Macron has described as “aggressive” subsidies for US manufacturers, a military honor guard was scheduled to be ready to welcome the French leader and his wife, Brigitte.
They were going to hold a joint press conference before having a lavish dinner that included American-made French favorites like wine and cheese.
The two governments have stressed their long-standing ties to France, which is the oldest ally of the United States, as well as their close cooperation in the Western alliance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Despite this, Macron made it abundantly clear in unusually blunt language that he is not only in Washington to talk about the straightforward aspects of the relationship.
He lashed out at Biden’s signature policy, the Inflation Reduction Act, which is set to invest billions of dollars in environmentally friendly industries and provide strong support for US-based manufacturers, during a lunch with lawmakers and business leaders on Wednesday.
The IRA legislation is hailed by the White House as a ground-breaking initiative to encourage renewable technologies and revive US manufacturing.European Association legislatures are crying foul, taking steps to send off an exchange battle by financing their own green economy area.
Macron stated, “This is super aggressive for our business people,” averting that European jobs would be “killed” by what he perceived as unfair US practices.
“The IRA’s result is that you may resolve your problem, but you will make my problem worse.I apologize for being so direct,” Macron stated.
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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that developments in the clean energy economy in the United States will also benefit Europeans.The IRA “offers significant opportunities for European businesses and contributes to the energy security of the EU.”There is no “zero-sum game” here.
Later, Macron gave a speech at the French embassy and said that the subsidies could become a real sticking point between the United States and Europe.
Macron said, “these are choices that will split the West,” despite expressing support for the IRA’s environmental goals and agreeing that ties remained firm for the time being.
Prior to Thursday’s official events, an adviser to the Elysee said that on Wednesday evening, he and his wife dined with Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at an Italian restaurant in Washington for a private and “political” dinner.
Also on Wednesday, Macron went to NASA headquarters in Washington with Vice President Kamala Harris to talk about space cooperation and to propose sending the first Frenchman to the Moon.
– The menu and the music: Macron’s two busy days in Washington will come to an end on Thursday with the first formal state dinner of Biden’s presidency. The grand tradition was put on hold because of restrictions imposed by Covid-19.
The White House said that the banquet will begin with butter-poached Maine lobster served with caviar, delicata squash ravioli, and tarragon sauce. American musician Jon Batiste won a Grammy.
Beef and triple-cooked butter potatoes are the main course, followed by cheese from award-winning US brands and orange chiffon cake with roasted pears and creme fraiche ice cream.
Three distinct wines, all produced in the United States, will serve as a palate cleanser.
China is high on the agenda, but trade tensions are only one unpleasant aspect of the red carpet event.
The high cost of US liquid natural gas exports, which have increased to help make up for lost Russian deliveries, is another issue in Europe.
There is also disagreement regarding how to deal with China’s rise to power.With Washington taking a more hawkish stance and EU powers trying to find a middle ground, there won’t be much progress on the question.
Pascal Confavreux, a spokesperson for the French embassy in Washington, tweeted, “Europe has its own, unique strategy for relations with China since 2018.”
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, stated that China will be “very high on the agenda” this week, but emphasized that the two nations share a comprehensive strategy.
“We believe that not only France but also every other member of the G7 and, frankly, our NATO allies see the challenges and threats posed by China in the same way,” the statement reads.