France was the first major Western power to establish diplomatic relations with China, but there are not as many economic and commercial exchanges between our two countries as there could potentially be. How can we reinforce the complementary nature of our two countries, and what are the future prospects?

A good way is to recover the balance in exchanges. We should attract more Chinese investment to France. As president of the annual forum of the France-China Committee, I do a lot of work in this area. There are very good prospects for mutual benefit in sectors like agriculture, energy, health and sustainable cities. We should make efforts to develop the role of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in our economic cooperation. For this reason, in October 2014 we will organize a Franco-Chinese SME summit in Chengdu under the Western Fair framework, bringing together 1,000 companies from our two countries. That will be the strongest time economically in our celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations.

It is reported that France is intending to enter into a currency swap agreement with China, which would allow Paris to become an offshore center for renminbi transactions capable of competing with London. When will this agreement come into being? What do you think about it?

It's an excellent initiative. We have been working on it very seriously. The Bank of China, which already has a presence in Paris, has made some interesting suggestions. I hope that this will be one of the good pieces of news to come out of the 50th anniversary.

How do you understand the notion of the "Chinese dream" put forward by the new leadership?

It is the ambition carried by the new Chinese Government. For us it is the pursuit of "reform and opening up" and at the same time it takes into account the emergence in China of a "civil society." I see the idea of "inclusive growth" that we discussed at the Boao Forum in the presence of President Xi Jinping.

How has this concept been presented in France?

Dreams are always a powerful idea in romantic countries. We fully understand that unity is a strong value in Chinese politics, so it is necessary to put forward a vision—a concept that rallies the people together. The Chinese dream has been well received in France because it is a legitimate, non-aggressive ambition. There is a certain continuity between the Chinese dream and the concept of a "peaceful rise," which is dear to the Chinese people.

In 2009, you launched a Chinese blog on ifeng.com. You also use Weibo to communicate with Chinese Internet users directly. What prompted you to open an account? Do you have any interesting anecdotes that you can tell us?

I pay a lot of attention to Chinese society. It will have a bigger influence on the world in the future. I am trying to explain to young people in France that their future will be shared with Asia, just like there was a piece of America in the lives of my generation. The Internet provides a good view of the reality of Chinese society. I particularly appreciate the sensibility and the humor of Chinese Internet users.

Can you sum up your career and your experience with China?

I spent a third of my professional life working in business, a third was dedicated to regional and national responsibilities (as a regional president and as prime minister), and I mostly dedicated the final third to international affairs (as vice president of the Senate responsible for the international delegation, the Boao Forum and the France-China Committee).

Last year I visited China six times. I am now familiar with many regions of China. I went on a cruise on the Yangtze River with my wife, who is learning Chinese. I am no longer able to count the number of times I have visited China. I am always preparing for the next trip.

Can you say something in honor of the twin cities between China and France?

After I was elected president of the Poitou-Charentes Region (Cognac Country), I built a relationship with Nanning in Guangxi, which was very helpful. There are several relationships between French and Chinese cities that are working very well at the moment. It is a good way to cooperate. The annual roundtable of Chinese and French mayors will take place this spring in Lille. Decentralized cooperation is a modern form of partnership.

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