President Xi Jinping met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday, with the European leader expected to put a Ukraine ceasefire and trade relations high on the agenda for talks.

Macron and his wife Brigitte were given a grand welcome by Xi and his partner Peng Liyuan to the Great Hall of the People, where the ceremony was moved indoors due to the cold.

Macron blew kisses to children who held flowers and welcomed the president, while a band played the national anthems of both countries.

The French president, who is visiting China for the fourth time since taking office in 2017, is also expected to meet with Premier Li Qiang before travelling to Chengdu, where he will meet again with Xi on Friday.

Trade is expected to be high on the agenda for talks.

Macron will advocate an agenda of cooperation in economic and trade matters aimed at achieving a balance that ensures “sustainable, solid growth that benefits everyone”, his office said.

France is aiming to attract more investment from Chinese companies and facilitate market access for French exports.

During the visit, officials from both nations are expected to sign several agreements in the energy, food industry, and aviation sectors.

Macron is committed to defend “fair and reciprocal market access”, his office said.

Last week, two giant pandas loaned to France by China were flown to their ancestral home to retire at an animal sanctuary in the city.

The Chinese embassy promised new bears would soon be dispatched to make up for the popular pair leaving.

The Chengdu visit is "quite exceptional in Chinese protocol", the French presidency said, adding it was "appreciated as such" by Macron.

During his last trip to China, the French president was given a rock star welcome at a university in the southern city of Guangzhou, with students chanting his name and scrambling for selfies and high-fives. (Agencies/Xinhua)