BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said Friday his country wanted to be the best friend of China in Europe and hoped to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations.

    "We hope to enhance exchanges with China within the framework of the Europe-China all-round strategic partnership," Raffarin said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

    Invited by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, Raffarin, who served as prime minister from 2002 to 2005, said his visit was to tell that "France always cherishes the friendship with China".

    "My visit to China in 2003 demonstrated that," said Raffarin, who paid an official visit in April 2003 despite the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in some areas of the country, the first Western leader to visit the country during the epidemic.

    "What I want to stress is that most French people do not hope to mix the Olympic Games with political issues," he said, adding France hoped to see a successful Olympic Games in Beijing. Earlier, he had called on state leaders from French-speaking areas to attend the opening ceremony of the Games in August.

    "We want to help China host a successful Olympic Games, which would make Europe know more about China," he said.

    Raffarin said French President Nicolas Sarkozy viewed himself as "a friend of China" and had stated clearly he would continue former President Jacques Chirac's policy toward China.

    "He (Sarkozy) supports the one-China policy. No matter the issues of Taiwan or Tibet, it always a domestic issue for China," Raffarin said.

    He mentioned recent diplomatic efforts by both the French and Chinese governments to soothe tensions between the two peoples.

    On April 7, the torch relay in Paris was interrupted several times. The most notable incident was when several supporters of "Tibetan independence" rushed to Jin Jing, a female wheelchair-bound fencer, and tried to snatch the torch.

    On Monday, French Senate President Poncelet made a special visit to Jin Jing upon his arrival in Shanghai, conveying Sarkozy's sympathy note to her.

    "I understand Chinese young people's feelings were hurt when seeing Jin Jing attacked in Paris, which also made us very sad. I want to say to Chinese young people that we understand their feelings. We love China, and hope to help Chinese young people know France better," Raffarin said.

    On the Tibet issue, Raffarin said some Europeans were shocked by the TV reports.

    According to Raffarin, EU policy-makers are responsible to help their people know more about the history, changes and development of Tibet over the past 50 years and the current situation in the autonomous region of China.