Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

For decades, Texas has been a reliably Republican state, but its demographics are changing,

and this week there were electoral upsets in other die-hard red states. Could Texas really

turn blue? And in Japan a majority of female commuters have experienced

groping on public transport. We look into what commuters, the police, and even plucky

startups are doing to persuade everyone at last to keep their hands to themselves.

First up though. It's nearly two and a half years since Emmanuel Macron became president

of France.

He's had difficult moments at home, not least the sprawling Jolais-Jones protests

that began a year ago. Now with his domestic poll numbers stabilizing, he appears to be

assuming a greater international role. He sees America and China tussling over trade

and technology wants to ensure that when they make peace, the European Union doesn't get

the short end of stake. Part of that effort took Mr Macron to China this week.

So we left Paris on Sunday night and arrived in Shanghai the next day at Somn monday.

Sophie Petter is our Paris bureau chief.

I was traveling on the plane with President Emmanuel Macron of France, along with another two

French journalists. He also had with him a delegation of French businessmen on the plane.

And he came to greet everyone who was traveling with him when we boarded him before take

off.

It was a three day trip to China, so taking in a stop in Shanghai first of all, and then

Beijing.

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