Former French prime minister: China expected to take lead in solving global problems

"China has set an excellent example in designing and implementing a long-term and visionary global agenda while upholding reform and opening up," said Raffarin. "President Xi should call on global leaders to show the same courage to design their own reform agenda and become more open, instead of resorting to protectionism and isolationism."

Raffarin hoped Xi would continue to pledge that China would increase trade flows, reject protectionism, advocate innovation and share investment projects. Others should follow this model rather than obstructing it.

Raffarin said China and France have a good record on investment partnership. While he was premier, Airbus opened an assembling plant and currently the two countries were on the way to building a nuclear power station in the UK.

"I think such cooperation should be encouraged and we should not only 'sell' together but also 'make' together," said Raffarin.

He said Xi's Belt and Road Initiative could help realize such goals by allowing China and other countries to deepen cooperation along the industrial chain.

"I have been in a fight to explain the benefits of this great initiative, which is about connectivity," said Raffarin, adding that he was invited to address Germany's ambassadors on it in September and recently spoke at the UN on China's global role.

"It is not only about how to benefit capitals such as Budapest and Warsaw, it is also about how quickly goods can be delivered between Shanghai and London, or Shenzhen and Paris."

Raffarin said European politicians had little vision of the initiative, "so I believe President Xi should explain more on this at Davos."

While many current global players are unpredictable, China is a "trustworthy and predictable" power, Raffarin said. "President Xi should also urge the world to make peace, instead of war."

Raffarin said that, when listening to US president-elect Donald Trump's recent rhetoric on China, he was reminded of something similar in Europe not too long ago. It involved Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as French president from 2007 to 2012.

At the beginning of his presidency, Sarkozy challenged China by supporting Tibetan separatists and meeting the Dalai Lama. China reacted by canceling an EU-China summit and, in the depth of the global financial crisis, former premier Wen Jiabao pointedly excluded France during a European tour in early 2009 when he was on his way to the annual Davos forum.

It was Raffarin who later brought China and France closer after Sarkozy's unpromising start. Raffarin said Sarkozy went from being "unpredictable to predictable" and Trump may experience a similar trajectory.

"Given that China's economic clout and the deep interdependence of the two economies," said Raffarin, "I think Trump will become pragmatic one day."

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