Interview Notes
Mr. Raffarin had an interview prior to the lecture. He had an incisive understanding of Chinese culture and its ancient philosophical wisdom, highlighting the importance of Chinese culture to the world today—the world needs to learn from the core values of Chinese culture of peace and unity. He pointed out that the Chinese people have had a firm belief in peace, “the Chinese people have never initiated war beyond their borders. They have only fought back when attacked.” Mr. Raffarin believed that the “powerful belief in peace” is not only “the most crucial quality of the Chinese people and of China today,” but “a quality the world needs.” He also elucidated that from the belief in peace rises “an absolute value” of Chinese culture—unity, which is seen as the cornerstone for “the great balances” of society and development of China. Mr. Raffarin emphasised on the critical importance of the value of unity, “because ultimately, division is often the root of problems almost everywhere in the world.”
As for the youth-related topic he’d like to put on the G20 Summit’s agenda, Mr. Raffarin showed concerns for how youths adapt to the transformations of the world and contribute to this process. He noted, “We are facing a world that will change profoundly. It is changing first because the planet itself is changing and its existence is threatened by climate change and other transformations. The planet, our common home, must be protected above all else. But we must also confront other transformations, such as the integration of digital technology into our daily lives, and, of course, artificial intelligence, which will transform our lives, making profound knowledge accessible to everyone. Our world is changing, and it is important that we face these transformations together. That is why, on one hand, we must encourage innovation, but we must also emphasise and discuss regulation, so that all this aligns with humanistic values.” In this process, ancient civilisations and their values, such as Chinese civilisation and Greco-Latin civilisation, “can contribute much reflection to modern times.” Therefore, Mr. Raffarin stressed that “in the face of global transformations, intercivilisational dialogue is essential.”
He stated that in every sector, from public affairs and business operations to academic engagement. “leadership is what enables growth. One can grow for others or grow for oneself — to become more generous, more creative, better at communicating, and more inspiring.” At the same time, Mr. Raffarin pointed out that the forging of leadership skills “requires both will and learning.” He also emphasised, “Leadership is the key to the future. Leading others begins with leading oneself.”
Review of the Lecture
Mr. Raffarin began by tracing back his half-a-century-long “romance” with China. He first came to China as a student 54 years ago, travelling extensively across the entirely unfamiliar country, from Harbin in the north to Shenzhen in the south. Today, he returns too China as a political and philosophical figure, to share his reflections on the complexity of civilisation, philosophy of crisis, leadership paradigms, and cultural connections, against a global landscape of transformations and turbulence.
Mr. Raffarin emphasised that we must acknowledge the fundamentally different priorities of core values in Chinese and Western cultures before trying to decipher the relationship between China and the West. He held that the core of Chinese culture lies in collectivism and solidarity, with an emphasis on the harmony between the inner and the outer, to pursue a dynamic balance amidst opposition, as embodied in the dialectical Yin-Yang philosophy. In contrast, European civilisation tends to see unity as a means to achieve a goal, even frame “rebellion” as a creative force. Mr. Raffarin emphasised, “True communication starts with acknowledging the rightfulness of differences, to navigate the complicated landscape with a grammar for coexistence.”
Mr. Raffarin also ingeniously employed the morphological features of the Chinese language to illustrate the distinctive resilience of Chinese culture thought in responding to crises, which is a common issue for government around the globe. In Chinese, “crisis” comprises of two parts, “danger” and “opportunity”. Mr. Raffarin considered the word formation as a linguistic characteristic that is deeply rooted in and reflects the Chinese philosophy of action. Unlike what its European counterpart sees “crisis” as being something frightful, the Chinese culture focuses more on seeking and grasping opportunities in a crisis. Taking China’s dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic as an example: At a moment when many countries fell into stagnation, China managed to accelerate the digital transformation of economy while containing the pandemic. Mr. Raffarin affirmed the resilience of Chinese culture, “China has perfectly translated the philosophy of seeking opportunities in crises into a modern practice, to reveal the constant reality that vulnerability and possibility are two sides of the same coin.”
To further explore leadership paradigms, Mr. Raffarin used vivid metaphors to reveal the cultural DNA that shapes them. According to him, a Chinese leader resembles a conductor — one who focuses on harmony and behind-the-scenes coordination. By contrast, a Western leader is more like a forward, relying on public persona and star power. He cited the high media visibility of French leaders and the “Power to the People” slogan in U.S. elections, highlighting that “effectiveness of leadership isn’t determined by the paradigm, but by its being rooted in the culture it belongs to.”
In the latter part of the lecture, Mr. Raffarin elaborated on the emotional connection and its implications in international relations. He reiterated the role of emotional resonance as the bedrock for international relations. For instance, he attributed the in-depth interactions between Chinese and French cultures to the emotional sensitivity of the two cultures. Both cultures are firm in spiritual pursuits, as seen in French poetry and architecture and in Chinese poems and traditional gardens. Mr. Raffarin was deeply impressed by activities on the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum, particularly the sub-forum dedicated to Chinese and French films and the cross-media art program at the Forbidden City Concert Hall, calling these events “emotion-coded experiments of dialog.” Mr. Raffarin noted, “To understand China, one must respect and love the people living on the land of China, before anything else. Emotions are the starting point for every relationship that will last.”
Concluding his lecture, Mr. Raffarin had a sobering reflection on the risks of war, drawing from his personal experiences. The postwar generation in Europe held a firm belief in peace, and the traumatic experience of WWII urged France and Germany to transform from enemies into allies. However, the Ukraine crisis casts the shades of violence once again. Examining the defensive military philosophy in China’s history, Mr. Raffarin stated, “In the process of building up a lasting peace, we need the in-depth participation of a big country like China. China’s cultural traditions and its modern practices provide the world with a path of coexistence that differs from antagonism.”
Q&A Session
Q: What will be the biggest challenge for the Sino-French relations in the coming five to ten years?
A: It’ll be to build a new framework for global governance. The international institutions, including the United Nations, that were set up after the WWII, become out of step with the current situation, or “out of date” in a sense. Unilateral rules will not work in future. We need a collaborative design made by China and the West. The process is challenging, for sure, but it is the only way to safeguard the global stability and justice.
Q: What can we learn from China’s modernization process over the past 50 years for better social governance?
A: The crucial thing we learn from China’s experience is that a responsible major country must have a global vision and a sense of shared responsibility. The “national priority” thinking must be abandoned. Many major countries overemphasise their own demands and interest. In contrast, China is fully aware that a major country’s responsibility is more than domestic affairs, and it must take into consideration of the global interests as a whole. Also, global topics must be included into the framework for state governance of a single country. In the speeches of Chinese leaders, we can always see China’s visions for the world, like the commitment to “the protection of the Earth”. It shows that China has incorporated global responsibility into its blueprint for the national development. And we must uphold “to take care of the world together”. China puts forth and upholds the idea of “a community with a shared future for mankind”, demonstrating its willingness to shoulder the responsibility to safeguard worldwide equilibrium and advancement.
Q: What is the role of cultural exchanges in the real-world Sino-French relations?
A: Cultural activities should not be a mere formality. The core values lie in “the heart-to-heart connection”. Culture can bridge the gap and lead the two peoples to “appreciate” each other from the bottom of heart. The profound influence of cultural exchanges goes beyond political relations and economic ties.
