Biden smiled on the phone.

According to Zhongxin.com, at the first state banquet since US President Biden took office, buttered lobster, American cheese and well-matched blue, white and red ornaments were presented to visiting French President Macron.

When Macron and Biden met, the media cameras also focused on body language. They shook hands, hugged and grinned. Biden called Macron "my friend" and Macron responded with "Dear Joe".

Biden also showed off a handful of French and read three French words: freedom, equality and fraternity. He praised France as the oldest ally of the United States, saying that "the United States cannot find a better partner than France."

More than a year ago, Washington announced that it had formed an "Ocuss" alliance with Australia and Britain, and Australia unilaterally cancelled its submarine order with France, which dealt a heavy blow to the relationship between the United States and France. Since August this year, the inflation reduction bill signed by Biden has aroused strong dissatisfaction in Europe. Some analysts pointed out that Biden's grand reception of Macron's visit was regarded as the greatest effort made by the United States to appease the French.

However, foreign media unexpectedly found that the tableware used in this state banquet was not official porcelain, but actually rented.

Macron arrived in the United States on the 29th of last month for a three-day visit, with the aim of boosting the relationship between the United States and France. Biden also made use of his first state banquet since taking office to warmly treat him. The whole banquet was designed by first lady Jill herself, and American cheese and wine were boldly served.

Due to the limited space in the hall, only 120 VIPs were invited, and the official finally decided to move to the south lawn to set up a tent so as to comfortably accommodate more than 400 people. In addition, well-designed high-class dishes, including lobster, cheese, beef and, of course, fine wine, completely immerse everyone in this "city shaped by French and American culture".

Despite this, the Bidens chose to use rented plates, glasses, tableware and tablecloths. The White House Social Secretary Ilimondo responded that "although the banquet venue is in the White House, official porcelain is not allowed". Foreign media reports pointed out that because the storage room responsible for supervising the White House collection thought that the temporary tent did not belong to the White House, it was decided not to provide the previous service.

Extended reading:

Macron fired before the White House State Banquet: France doesn't want to be a market for American goods.

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"On the first day of a rare state visit, Macron opened fire on his American host," the headline of the AFP report emphasized. The report quoted unnamed sources as saying that Macron said at the dinner that the protectionist policies in the US Inflation Reduction Act were "extremely aggressive" for European enterprises. The French president said that he just wanted to be "respected as a good friend" by the United States, and the American policy "would kill a lot of employment opportunities in Europe".

"France doesn't want to be a market for American goods, because we have almost the same goods as you. There is also a middle class and people who should look for jobs, "Macron said. "The consequence of the US inflation reduction bill is that this may solve your problem, but it will aggravate my problem. Sorry to be so straightforward. " Agence France-Presse said that Macron pleaded: "Put yourself in our shoes." "Earlier this year, when we were discussing the bill to reduce inflation, no one called me."

Regarding this luncheon, Reuters said that some French officials said that after Republicans in the United States won control of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections this month, Macron must contact the two parties in the United States to promote cooperation with Washington.

Later on 30th, Macron gave a speech at the French Embassy in the United States. He said that he had told US lawmakers in a "frank and friendly way" that "what happened in recent months is a challenge for us". Macron stressed that the issue of trade subsidies in the United States may become the real crux of the relationship between the United States and Europe, and the subsidy clause in the US Inflation Reduction Act "will split the West".

In response to Macron's dissatisfaction, White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre)30 said on 30th that the state visit reflected the "warm relationship" between the two presidents. At the news conference that day, she said that the White House had heard Macron's comments and was ready to discuss the issue. When asked about Europe's concerns about the US inflation reduction bill, the spokesman insisted that the bill "brings great opportunities to European enterprises and is also conducive to the energy security of the EU".

Exempt European companies? US Congressman: No, thank you.

"Biden's subsidy policy is better than Trump's, EU: Why am I the most injured?" "Deutsche Welle"165438+1October 30 reported that Biden signed the inflation reduction bill in August this year, and a large number of European companies, including German automakers, became victims. This paper takes a Swedish new energy battery manufacturer as an example, which originally planned to build a factory in Germany. However, the Inflation Reduction Act of the United States provides high subsidies and consumption tax credits for new energy technology enterprises. The CEO of the company said that if a factory producing electric vehicle batteries is built in the United States, the company will receive a subsidy of up to 800 million euros, four times that of the German government. Coupled with the fact that the energy price in the United States is much cheaper than that in Germany, the company said that "priority will be given to expansion in the United States, not in Europe". France is facing a similar situation. According to the report, the French side has no hope for the US to abandon this bill, but its goal is that the US can amend some provisions and grant immunity to European companies as "American allies" like Canada and Mexico.

Agence France-Presse said that Macron said at a luncheon on the 30th that "exceptions for European companies" could be written into the bill, but even this might "cause differences among Europeans".

"No, thanks." The US "Political News Network" said on the 30th that the main Democrats in the US Congress were not interested in Macron's request. Senator Ron Wyden said, "I will not revisit this bill, and we will not revisit its text." .

According to the report, Debbie Stabeno, another Democratic senator, also rejected the possibility of Congress amending the bill to allow the European Union and other American ally automakers to obtain tax credits for electric vehicles produced overseas. Dan Kilday, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, also accused European partners of "investing heavily in their domestic industries for a long time" and "through the inflation reduction bill, we ensured that the United States, not China, led the transition to the era of electric vehicles".

According to the Associated Press, German Economy Minister Chabeck 10 reiterated on 30 October that some provisions of the US Inflation Reduction Act violated the provisions of the WTO. "This view is largely recognized by countries committed to the multilateral trading order".

With regard to the US bill, Shu Jueting, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce of China, said at the regular press conference on June 65438+February 1 day that at the meeting of the WTO Council for Trade in Goods held on October 24-25/KLOC-0, China made a professional analysis of the relevant provisions of the US bill one by one, pointing out that the US practices seriously disrupted international trade and investment. As a member of the WTO, it is a concrete manifestation of China's exercise of its rights in accordance with WTO rules to raise concerns and questions about the trade measures taken by other members in the relevant committees of the WTO. China urges the United States to strictly fulfill its obligations under WTO rules and earnestly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system.

The difference does not stop there.

According to the European News Network, the differences to be bridged by Macron's visit are not limited to the Inflation Reduction Act, and the positions of Europe and the United States on issues related to energy and China are also far apart. In terms of energy, the United States transformed itself into an energy exporter by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and sold liquefied natural gas to Europe at a high price. Macron complained more than once that American natural gas is too expensive, saying that "this is not the true meaning of friendship".

Relations with China were also listed as one of the main topics in Biden's talks with Macron. Kirby, the strategic communication coordinator of the White House National Security Council, said recently that "China" will be the top topic during Macron's visit to the United States, "because China is trying to show its global influence and continues to pose security challenges, especially in the Indo-Pacific region". According to the European News Network, Biden is pressing the EU to regard China as a "systemic threat" and further intensify anti-China efforts. But the French have no intention of following the United States to contain China. "Since 20 18, Europe has its own unique strategy toward China," shadow Favreur, a spokesman for the French Embassy in the United States, said in a tweet. Reuters reported earlier that Macron would tell Biden during the talks that "you can't ask us for help on the China issue and attack us with the inflation reduction bill".

1October 30th, the State Council 165438+ announced that on February 30th, 1 1-2, US Deputy Secretary of State Sherman and Secretary General of the EU External Action Agency Sanino will attend the fourth "China Dialogue" between the US and Europe and the consultation on Indo-Pacific affairs in Washington. "Political News Network" said that unlike previous meetings, the relationship between the United States and Europe will become a hot potato at this meeting. "Biden hosted Macron with the White House's first state banquet in more than three years." It is reported that Biden will reaffirm the friendship between the United States and "the oldest ally" France. "But under the surface, restoration work is urgently needed."