French ex-PM expects China to promote world peace, growth

With its new leadership committed to improving reforms, China are expected to play a greater role in bolstering growth and promoting peace over the globe, said former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, the French politician said having confidence in Chinese officials "... to engage ... a strong political line for peace and growth in the world," adding that eyes in Paris are on China's "new directions, lines of hopes."

Hailing Communist Party of China (CPC) leader Xi Jinping's "great determination to fight against corruption," Raffarin considered "positive" the new leader's "orientation for a more balanced, cleaner and inclusive growth."

"It is clear that the future of the Chinese economy is via a better balance in favor of domestic consumption and exports," he noted.

Asked about the "Chinese dream" that the new Chinese officials intend to achieve, Raffarin described it as "a dream of harmony, peace and development."

"Development of the society (and) people is the balance between society and the individual, the balance between the individual and civilization," he said, adding that "the Chinese dream is the balance between individual and collective happiness."

In his view, China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, "wants peace in the world" and it "assumes its responsibilities of a world power."

As the booming Chinese economy is reshaping the global growth and represents "an asset for wold economy," France needs to further cement its cultural and political ties with China "to preserve peace," and better strengthen bilateral economic cooperation in a bid "to stimulate growth," according to the ex-premier.

Raffarin also hoped that the scheduled visit of French President Francois Hollande to China will provide an opportunity to establish a "common understanding" between the two leaders.

In a previous interview, Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced that Hollande will pay his first official visit to China "soon after March" to bolster economic ties and help lift France's ailing growth.

China and France established diplomatic ties in 1964.

The two countries have bolstered their relations, with France becoming China's fourth biggest trading partner within the European Union in 2009. China was also France's leading trading partner in Asia.