PARIS - China has helped promote international cooperation and dialogue through the Belt and Road Initiative, former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said.

Over the past five years, China has assumed the responsibility of a great country, as it has served as a driving force for global economic growth and has increased its contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, Raffarin said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

China has facilitated a "dialogue" among countries around the world, he said, noting that the Belt and Road Initiative allows various countries to sit down at the same table to discuss cooperation.

Multilateral dialogue is a good model of cooperation, especially for the world today, and China is setting an example in promoting this kind of cooperation, Raffarin highlighted.

Put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

The former French prime minister called on European countries to mobilize to participate in the initiative.

Cultural exchanges between Eurasian countries are also very important, he added, commenting on the merits of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is also committed to promoting people-to-people exchanges.

Talking about his impression of China, Raffarin said he is impressed by the fact that China has always captured the latest technologies, and the technology advancement benefits not only big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but also other cities across the country.

He is particularly impressed by the optimism, the dynamism and the confidence of the Chinese youth.

The young generation "is the most important force for a people, an economy and a culture," he said.