Thumbs up to the World’s Politicians and Celebrities at the China International Import Expo. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France and President of the Prospective Innovation Foundation (FPI).

Profile

Born in 1948, Raffarin grew up in Poitiers and graduated from Panthéon-Assas University and ESCP Europe Business School. He served as a university lecturer and the general manager of a communications company. In 1977, he started his political career and was later elected as the city councilor, district councilor and parliamentary chairman. 

From 2002 to 2005, he became the Prime Minister of France. Raffarin enjoys a high reputation in China for being the first Western leader to visit the SARS-afflicted China in 2003. In the past 10 years, Raffarin, along with a French delegation, has visited China many times and has been keeping in close contact with the Chinese government.

One Belt, One Road as new tie between China and France

Since his first visit to China in 1976, Raffarin has paid attention to developments in China. He has repeatedly commended China for its Belt and Road Initiative and the “building of a community of common destiny”. Raffarin expresses his support for the maintenance of world peace. 

China defends multilateralism, advocates deeper cooperation, and supports trade, so it is vital to the world. He stressed that China's One Belt, One Road Initiative is conducive to deepening the understanding of peoples of all countries, and also to world balance. Maintaining world balance is precisely the primary goal of Chinese and French foreign policies.

The China International Import Expo provides new opportunities for the world

Raffarin said that the China International Import Expo, to be held this November is an important economic and trade event, and will provide opportunities for cooperation between French and Chinese enterprises, as well as the balanced development of trade relations between the two countries. When President Macron visited China in January, President Xi Jinping expressed his determination to hold the first import expo and hoped that France would actively participate. President Macron promised that France will send a high-level delegation.

Raffarin is full of high expectations for the import expo, and looks forward to the participation of companies with great potential, rooted in various regions of France, as well as their coming into contact with their various Chinese counterparts from different provinces. 

China’s provinces boast tremendous strength, such as Sichuan, which is characterized by rapid economic growth and broad market prospects. Its market size is comparable to that of Germany. He also said that the president himself is very passionate about China and values cooperation between the two sides. He hopes that the French delegation is of a high level as President Macron has claimed.

Source: Business Section of the Chinese Embassy in France