One should try to do justice to the historical significance of the partnership in the future, Macron said Wednesday evening (local time) during a speech at the French embassy in Washington. US President Joe Biden will receive him at the White House on Thursday. The program includes bilateral talks and a joint press conference, followed by a festive state banquet. At dinner, Frenchman Macron would enjoy American cheese.
Macron has been in the United States since Tuesday evening (local time) for a multi-day state visit. In contrast to regular working visits, the protocol is much higher and there are special program components such as the state banquet. Macron is the first foreign guest in Biden’s tenure to receive this honor. He is accompanied on the journey by his wife Brigitte and several ministers. Macron met, among others, US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday and emphasized cooperation between the two countries in the field of space travel.
Speaking at the embassy, Macron said the visit was also about “synchronizing common agendas”. There is a danger that on many issues the US will look to itself first and then to its rivalry with China. A foreseeable point of conflict between Macron and Biden is the so-called Inflation Reduction Act: with the law, the US wants to boost its industry and give it preference over foreign competitors. Subsidies and tax credits are linked to companies that use or produce US products in the US. “Of course we are ready to have this conversation,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.
It remains to be seen whether Macron and Biden can get the matter out of the way before the festive state banquet. The dinner must then be harmonious – the White House has been working on it for six months. The menu features American specialties, including lobster from the state of Maine and wine from California’s Napa Valley. American cheese should also be served. The White House said it was an “excellent and award-winning cheese.” The French are proud of their cheese, which also plays a prominent role on the world market. The dinner is musically accompanied by jazz and soul musician Jon Batiste.
The dinner’s design was inspired by the identical colors of the flags of both countries and was held in red, white and blue, US First Lady Jill Biden said of the table decoration, according to the White House. “I’ve learned that setting a table can be an act of love — and with my own family, I’ve done my best to keep that tradition alive.” The banquet will be held in a heated pavilion on the South Lawn of the White House – hundreds of guests are expected.
Joe Biden and Macron met for dinner in the US capital on Wednesday night — albeit in a slightly less formal setting at a seafood restaurant in Georgetown.
Following the program in Washington, the French president wants to travel to the metropolis of New Orleans in the American state of Louisiana. The US government emphasized that France is the oldest ally of the United States. Last year, relations between the two NATO partners cracked as France lost billions in submarine activity over a new security alliance in the Indo-Pacific involving the United States.
(SDA)