China lobbying to acquire French nuclear technology, seeks Macron's visit: Report

China is reportedly trying to acquire French nuclear technology in a bid to intensify its "debt-trap diplomacy", which it often uses to coerce smaller countries on negotiating tables. According to a report in The Klaxton, Beijing is lobbying in Paris to get its hands on billions of dollars worth of nuclear technology that it aims to use in expanding its influence across the world amid competition with the United States to become the global power. 

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Seeking Macron's visit

As per the report, Beijing, in the guise of improving Franco-Sino bilateral ties, is trying to acquire French nuclear technology and has intensified back-channel negotiations in the recent past. The Klaxton reported high-level US intelligence sources as saying that the Chinese government is also trying to secure French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China in the near future in order to revive an $11 billion deal with state-controlled French nuclear energy giant Orano. 

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China wants Orano to build a major nuclear fuel "reprocessing and recycling" facility in partnership with its government-run National Nuclear Corporation. A preliminary deal was signed in 2018 to advance the work, however, it was only for preparatory work and expire by the end of the same year. The talks between Orano and China's National Nuclear Corporation died in 2018 after France's national security agency reportedly raised serious security concerns over the deal. 

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According to the report, Beijing is currently running a hardcore campaign to revive the deal by targetting key politicians in Paris. China is also hopeful because of the recent leadership change in France with Jean Castex taking over as the new Prime Minister of the country. Beijing is seeking Macron's visit because in France the Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is elected by the people and has a final say in the workings of the government. 

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