Veteran politician Jean-Pierre Raffarin, picked by French president-elect Emmanuel Macron as special representative at an upcoming forum on the Belt and Road Initiative, has described the project as "an invitation for Europe to look more to the East".

Raffarin departed for Beijing on May 11 for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14 and 15.

Raffarin says that Macron decided on sending him shortly after defeating the National Front's Marine Le Pen in the May 7 election.

Raffarin told China Daily in a written interview on May 9 that he will be leading the French delegation.

He says the decision was announced after President Francois Hollande and president-elect Macron agreed for him to serve as special representative of the French president at the forum, which 28 state leaders will be attending.

Hollande will make way for Macron to move into the Elysee Palace next week.

As well as the initiative's open door for Europe, Raffarin says, "I don't underestimate the other messages of boosting economic growth and advocating peace, in particular."

He says the new president will be maintaining a strong friendship and strategic partnership between China and France.

"In my country, since General de Gaulle, we have always placed a major interest in the Sino-French relationship, putting aside our internal political differences between various parties," says Raffarin.

He says the priority is the global equilibrium for peace and development because both sides trust in a common vision of a multipolar global system and multilateralism.

Both sides will seek to strengthen a vibrant economic exchange and promote cultural partnerships, Raffarin says, adding that the two governments will put innovation and research at the heart of their cooperation.

The two countries' relationships with African nations also are on their priority list, Raffarin saya.

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 05/12/2017 page15)