China has been a major force in maintaining global peace and an engine for global economic growth, said French former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin when stressing the country's increasingly important role in managing global affairs. He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Media Group, which was aired Friday. 

Raffarin also echoed some of the expectations outlined in "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." "We also have high expectations for the capacity and intelligence of the Chinese people in innovation," Raffarin said. "We need innovation and China is a great country of innovation."