2020年CRI France and China can deepen BRI cooperation: former French PM

 

As Chinese President Xi Jinping continues a state visit in France, a former French prime minister is suggesting France and China should be working together through the Belt and Road Initiative.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin has maintained close ties with China following his tenure¹ as French Prime Minister from 2002 to 2005.

An advocate of the Belt and Road Initiative, Raffarin suggests the Chinese program should be viewed as a tool not only for development, but for multilateral relations as well.

"Although this initiative is proposed by China, it's actually favorable to international cooperation. To some extent, the Belt and Road can serve as a lab for countries to build a 'new multilateralism.' Many countries are willing to cooperate with each other, but they lack a proper framework. The Belt and Road Initiative provides a good framework for their cooperation," says Raffarin.

The former French prime minister says there is a lot of room for cooperation between China and France through the Belt and Road framework.

"The basic focus of France-China cooperation is to launch specific projects. The two sides can promote cooperation projects in sectors² such as infrastructure³, economy, culture and finance. France and China are researching on some of their cooperation projects in a bid to ensure they're of good quality. We are also choosing some of the projects to take part in our cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road. Those projects must be feasible and practical, and should cover both the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime⁴ Silk Road," says Raffarin.

Currently 123 countries and 29 international organizations are on-board with the Belt and Road initiative.

Jean-Pierre Raffarin says while the Belt and Road is a useful tool to help bolster⁵ China's ties with France, the initiative isn't the only way to link the two nations.

"China and France can both make contributions to promote multilateralism in the 21st century. China has vowed⁶ to safeguard multilateralism in a number of international organizations including the UNESCO, the WTO and the United Nations. We appreciate that. We hope to work with China to jointly⁷ solve the disputes and tensions around the world through multilateralism," says Raffarin.

Raffarin also suggests the close ties between China and France are helping⁸ bolster world stability.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France.

Bilateral⁹ trade between the two countries surpassed 60 billion U.S. dollars last year, a record high.

1 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

2 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

5 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。