French president offers Chinese leader Xi special gift horse

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has offered a very special gift to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during his trip to China — a horse from France's famed Garde Republicaine.

The nine-year-old gelding bred in Normandy, named Vesuve de Brekka, is trained and ready for use.

A member of the Garde says in a video on Macron's Twitter account that Vesuve de Brekka was among the horses on parade on France's July 14 Bastille Day when the Garde Republicaine cavalry prances down the Champs-Elysees.

The tweet says the horse is "a symbol of our friendship."

Macron hopes for big things in return. On Tuesday, the second day of his visit, Macron said the two nations should "settle on an economic and geopolitical plan for the affairs of our world."