China's Xi and Macron urge 'political settlement' of Iran nuclear issue, state media reports

French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping speak as they attend an official state dinner as part of the Chinese president's two-day state visit to France, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 6, 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a political settlement of the Iran nuclear issue, in a joint statement published by Chinese state media on Tuesday.

The leaders also called for the "concrete implementation" of a two-state solution in Israel and "condemned" Israel's policy of settlement-building in the West Bank.

Xi is on a two-day visit to France as part of his first trip in five years to Europe, where he has been pressed by European leaders on trade tensions and Ukraine.