Interview: Ex-French PM hails "high quality" ties between France, China

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin praised "high quality" of partnership linking France and China, and called on both countries to do more to further cement ties in promising sectors.

The former prime minister noted in an interview with Xinhua that a more regular and high-level political dialogue between Paris and Beijing was embodied by the "successful visits" by France's top officials to the booming Asian country.

Listing successful economic cooperation, mainly in peaceful nuclear business, aeronautic industry and sustainable development, de Villepin added "many areas with great growth potential between our two countries" remained unexploited, such as food processing and financial services.

"France is a high-skilled and high-tech country, ready to welcome Chinese investments and also to sign deals with Chinese companies to seek together new markets in Africa or Latin America," he said.

To de Villepin, China represented "a huge growth potential for the world and especially for Europe, which now discussed the risk of deflation and low growth."

He said that China needs to set, after more than thirty years of intense economic growth, industrial and heavily export-oriented policy, a new model of Chinese economy and society for the coming decades.

As to China's plan to re-build the Silk Road, de Villepin said "it's a story that we can write together to be all winners of the new economic development."

"For Europe, this is an opportunity to seek new economic partnerships in Asia and at the same time to promote peace talks, both in the Middle East, but also with Russia over the Ukrainian issue," the former French prime minister said.

"The Silk Road can become a common future language," de Villepin told Xinhua. Endit