Xi joins Macron in southwest China on rare trip with a global leader outside Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping accompanied his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to Chengdu on Friday, a rare gesture seemingly reserved for the head of Europe's second-largest economy that highlights Beijing's focus on Paris in its dealings with the European Union.

The French president began his day by surprising fellow joggers in the city's Jincheng Lake Park, videos circulating Chinese social media showed, before joining Xi at the Dujiangyan dam, state media reported. The dam has managed water flows around Chengdu since the 3rd century BC

A meeting in the Chinese capital on Thursday produced just 12 cooperation agreements covering topics like population ageing, nuclear energy and panda conservation. No monetary amounts were disclosed, though Macron is being accompanied for his fourth state visit to China by the heads of some of France's most prominent companies.

The Chinese leader was not expected to approve a long-anticipated, 500-jet Airbus order, as that would weaken Beijing's leverage during trade talks with the US, which is pressing for new Boeing purchase commitments.