New treaty positive for Europe integration

The new friendship treaty that France and Germany inked on Tuesday is a positive sign for European integration, analysts said.

Tian Dewen, a researcher of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that uncertainty about European integration is currently huge, as the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union and tensions run high with populist leaders in Europe.

"The signing of the treaty means that France and Germany, amid the profound political and economic changes in the world, have pledged continuity of their policies and renewed their commitment to European integration, which is positive not only for the two countries but also to Europe, " he said.

Cui Hongjian, director of the department for European studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said France and Germany both face domestic issues and are confronted by doubts regarding whether they could still play a leading role in pushing European integration forward.

"The treaty showed they think it is important to respond to doubting voices and to ensure their leading role in EU integration," he said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron signed the treaty, pleading deeper political, economic and defense alliances and reiterated the two countries' commitment to the integration of the EU.

The signing ceremony was held in Aachen, Germany, and was held on the anniversary of the Elysee treaty, a friendship pact signed in 1963 between France and Germany, which has been a fundamental milestone in the reconciliation of the two countries after World War II.

'Greater convergence'

A joint article by French and German ambassadors to China said that this new treaty is aimed at "greater convergence between France and Germany" and at preparing both countries to face the challenges of the 21st Century. The French-German partnership as a whole and the new treaty in particular are based on "the unconditional commitment to the process of European unification".

Cui said that facing divided opinions and different voices within the EU, France and Germany have made a lot of effort to keep the result of European integration and tackle challenges posed by rising populism in the past few years.

"Stating their cooperation in a treaty offers a legal basis for the two countries' future cooperation and their role in pushing forward the European integration," he said, adding that a legal basis is important as Merkel's era in Germany is leaving and Macron's political career also faces challenges.