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From his birth in North Africa to his early youth spent in South America, Dominique de Villepin would later go on to serve his country with courage and ambition as the French ambassador to both the US and India.

Former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin talks to China Daily in an exclusive interview in Beijing on Monday. [Zhang Wei/ China Daily]

This professional and life experience -- as well as his role as France's prime minister from 2005 to 2007 -- has also endowed him with a wider perspective with which to forge international ties.

To this end, Villepin is now arriving in China as the Global Chairman of the Asia-Pacific CEO Association for the World Emerging Industries Summit 2010, which opens on Wednesday in Changchun, Jilin.

One of the most critical changes that must take place in the world economy, and the one Villepin said he would stress at the summit, is a structural one.

Rather, it is a shift from "the current competition between our economies to cooperation in order to avoid clashes of our economies," Villepin told China Daily.

"Each of us needs to respect specifics," he said.

Regarding China's "miraculous development," Villepin said "we need the spirit of cooperation by sharing our experience within different industries and regions. "The dynamism of China is absolutely incredible."

Having traveled to China as French foreign minister in 2003 - a post he held from 2002 to 2004 - Villepin has since made more visits representing the Asia-Pacific CEO Association.

Villepin said that France and China now maintain a stable relationship, with leadership visits paid by both sides. "France wants China to play a bigger role in world politics and economy, and hopes for more (bilateral) cooperation," said Villepin.

Hopes run high in Paris that China's role and responsibility in world affairs can now be elevated to a higher level, said Villepin.

Villepin stressed that confrontations over lingering disputes between the EU and China - from human rights to arms embargoes and trading statuses - should be avoided.

"I don't think we should confront each other," he said. "We should decide in the interest of the world economy and avoid any kind of tension."

Moreover, the two powers are at a moment "when economic cooperation is very important, so we should not add new difficulty to the world economy but more understanding".

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