PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel

Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen urged

China's President Xi Jinping to ensure more balanced trade at

the start of a visit to Paris by the Chinese leader, during

which Macron will also press him on Ukraine.

Xi was in Europe for the first time in five years, at a time

of growing trade tensions, with the European Union investigating

several Chinese industries including electric vehicle exports,

while Beijing is probing mostly French-made imports of brandy.

Macron said Europe and China were at a junction in history

that required resolving structural difficulties, including

reaching a level playing field for businesses.

"The future of our continent will also very clearly depend

on our capacity to further develop in a balanced way our

relationship with China," he said as the three sat a round table

under the gilded ceilings of the Elysee Palace.

Minutes before, Macron and Xi shook hands in the Elysee's

courtyard while the Republican Guard's orchestra played welcome

music.

Macron has a tendency to hug his counterparts but Xi

doesn't. This time, Macron just seemed to give Xi's arm a

squeeze as they were shaking hands. Macron, who welcomed him in

the courtyard, walked inside the Elysee palace with him.

In brief public comments ahead of talks behind closed doors,

Xi responded that he viewed relations with Europe as a priority

of China's foreign policy and that both should stay committed to

the partnership.

"As the world enters a new period of turbulence and change,

as two important forces in this world, China and Europe should

adhere to the positioning of partners, adhere to dialogue and

cooperation..." Xi said.

Von der Leyen said China and Europe have a shared interest

in peace and security, but that the relation is challenged by

issues linked to market access and trade.

"We have a substantial EU-China economic relationship," she

said. "But this relationship is also challenged, for example,

through state induced overcapacity, unequal market access and

overdependencies and these are all issues that we will address

today."

NOT UNIFIED

The EU's 27 members - in particular France and Germany - are

not unified in their attitude towards China, which does not help

obtaining changes from China. While Paris advocates a tougher

line on the EV probe, Berlin wants to proceed with more caution,

sources say.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will not join Macron and Xi in

Paris due to prior commitments, sources said.

France is also set to nudge China into pressuring Moscow to

halt operations in Ukraine, with little progress apart from Xi's

decision to call President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the first

time shortly after Macron visited Beijing last year.

France also hopes to push to open the Chinese market for its

agricultural exports and resolve issues around the French

cosmetic industry's concerns about intellectual property rights,

officials said. China, meanwhile, may announce an order for

around 50 Airbus aircraft during Xi's visit.