On October 20, 2018, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended 2018 Optics Valley Sino-International Enterpreneurs Summit and delivered a speech. With the theme of Openness, Innoviation, Win-Win Cooperation---To Build Optics Valley into A Global Innoviation & Enterpreneurship Center, the Summit invited Sino-International enterpreneurs to come together to discuss innoviation cooperation, so as to boost and upgrade the development of China high-tech industry. Prominent politicians and CEOs from world top-500 companies including Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Former Prime Minister of France, Mr. Andrew Robb, Minister for Trade and Investment and others, attended the Summit. Vice President Song Jingwu said, we must adhere to international cooperation and develp multilateral trade to build a global innoviation and enterpreneurship center. CPAFFC would keep up with the times, continuously innovate the working method, promote international cooperation and actively exert the role as a bridge so as to provide support for the people-to-people exchanges including the Sino-International enterpreneurs, establish exchange mechanism and build a platform for cooperation.      

On October 20, 2018, Vice President Mr. Hu Sishe met with the delegation of the Japan-China Friendship Association of the Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture and the Friendship Delegation of the Nanao City Council. Mr. Husishe first thanked Okada Jo, the President of Japan-China Friendship Association of the Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, for his contributions to the China-Japan friendship over the years, especially the efforts made in recent years to promote friendly exchanges between local cities in China and Japan. At the same time, Mr. Husishe welcomed the Friendship Delegation of the Nanao City Council, headed by Vice-President Sato Yoshinori, for their first visit to China. Mr. Hu Sishe mentioned his visit to Japan in 2016 during which he recommend the western city Qingyang of China to President Okada Jo. In the past few years, under the promotion of President Okada Jo, the city of Nanao and Qingyang have exchanged smoothly in various fields such as culture, education, Chinese medicine, and pension. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit China after seven years. With the joint efforts of both sides, the friendly exchanges between China and Japan will surely flourish. The delegation will also visit Qingyang City to hold a discussion with the local people's congress, inspect the intentional cooperation organizations, provide free guidance in terms of technique, medical treatment, installation to the newly built old-age facilities in Qingyang City, and hold lectures and exchanges to discuss the next steps of cooperation.       Photographed by Gao Hui

Vice President Xie Yuan met with the delegation of Honolulu Chapter of U.S.-China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA) on October 19th. Vice President Xie spoke highly of the great efforts made by USCPFA in promoting mutual understand and friendship between the people of China and the United States over the past years. He hoped that CPAFFC and USCPFA could step up cooperation in the future so as to make further contribution to the cause of people-to-people friendship between our two countries. Frances Goo, President of USCPFA Western Region, expressed the willingness to continue the cooperative relationship with CPAFFC, and help lay the foundation for the sound and steady development of the bilateral relations at people-to-people level.

Vice President Xie Yuan met with the delegation of Honolulu Chapter of U.S.-China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA) on October 19th. Vice President Xie spoke highly of the great efforts made by USCPFA in promoting mutual understand and friendship between the people of China and the United States over the past years. He hoped that CPAFFC and USCPFA could step up cooperation in the future so as to make further contribution to the cause of people-to-people friendship between our two countries. Frances Goo, President of USCPFA Western Region, expressed the willingness to continue the cooperative relationship with CPAFFC, and help lay the foundation for the sound and steady development of the bilateral relations at people-to-people level.

From October 15 to 17, organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of the UK , the British Embassy to China and hosted by Dalian Municipal Government, the 4th China-UK Regional Leaders Summit is held in Dalian, Liaoning Province. Over 200 Chinese and British delegates including Mr Song Jingwu Vice President of the CPAFFC, Mr Tan Zuojun Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and Party Secretary of Dalian, Mr Chen Lvping Vice Governor of Liaoning Province , Mr Xiao Yi Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Jiangxi Provincial Committee and Party Secretary of Fuzhou, Mr David Sterling Head of Civil Service of Northern Ireland, Dame Barbara Woodward British Ambassador to China, Ms Christina Scott Minister & Deputy Head of the British Mission to China, Ms Eva Bolander Lord Provost of Glasgow and Mr Dan Javis MP Mayor of Sheffield Region attended the summit. Under the theme Together Creating the Golden Era with a Global Vision, Chinese and British delegates shared experiences in fields of Green Innovative and SMEs, Aging Population and Elderly Health-care, Exchanges and Cooperation between Chinese and British Universities as well as Vocational Education Serves Local Development and had site visit to the Dalian Area of China(Liaoning) Free Trade Zone and Dalian Donggang Business District. Witnessed by Chinese and British VIPs, 7 MOUs in trade and investment, higher education，vocational training，science and technology as well as sports exchanges have been signed during this summit between China and British regions. Launched by the CPAFFC and its UK partner in the frame of the  China-UK High Level People to People Dialogue, the China-UK Regional Leaders Summit is first local cooperation mechanism between  China and the UK which has already been successfully held 3 times.          

The CPAFFC Vice President Ms. Lin Yi met with Mr. Acquino Vimal, the newly-appointed Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the Indian Embassy in China on October 16th. Vice President Lin Yi warmly welcomed Mr. Vimal and highly appreciated the substantial support from the Indian Embassy for the past years. She looked forward to collaborating with the Embassy on more people-to-people as well as local governmental exchanges in 2019. Mr. Vimal thanked Ms. Lin for meeting him despite busy schedule. He said that the Embassy greatly values the good collaborative relations with the CPAFFC and put forward many proposals on future cooperation. Ms. Tang Tuimin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Asian and African Affairs was present at the meeting.       Photographed by Jiao Tianjiao  

Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC), attended the closing ceremony of 9th Formula Student China on October 13th, and awarded the winners.       China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD) donated to Xiamen University of Technology and Lushan College of Guangxi University of Science and Technology. Secretary General Li Xikui attended the donation ceremony. He said, the aims of the donation are to train more automobile talents, give college students a lot support in realizing automobile dreams and promote the development of automobile industry. He hoped that this time, these college students take part in the Formula Student China as participants; tomorrow, they would be promoters of automobile industry, and in future, they would be contibutiors of national development. At last, Secretary General Li wished the college students a better result in future. The 9th Formula Student China was donated and developed by the Automobile Talents Development Fund (ATDF) from CFFPD. The aims of this ATDF are to donate and support the training of the Chinese automobile talents and the exchanges and cooperation of China automobile industy with foreign countries.                

On the afternoon of Oct. 12, Vice President Lin Yi met with a good-will delegation from Izmir Province of Turkey, headed by Vice Governor Mr. Cemil Ozgur Onegi. Madam Lin Yi briefed on the work of the CPAFFC, especially on its people-to-people friendly exchanges with Turkey in recent years. She expressed that the CPAFFC would like to set up a platform for promoting relations between local governments and people-to-people friendly exchanges in various areas between China and Turkey. Mr. Cemil Ozgur Onegi and other delegates said that Turkey enjoyed geographical advantage of linking Asian, European and African Continents. Since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward, the relations between China and Turkey have been positively advanced. Our two countries should enhance contacts in economic and tourist areas. They also expressed willingness to establish contact with the CPAFFC, promoting friendly exchanges between local governments and people from two sides. Mr. Ni Xiaojing, Deputy Consul General in Izmir attended the meeting.      

On October 10th,Vice President Xie Yuan met with U.S. Texas Houston Museum of Holocaust (HMH) delegation in Beijing. Vice President Xie briefed the delegation about the work and function of CPAFFC and said that the history of China-U.S. cooperation during the Second World War should be remembered. CPAFFC would like to strengthen cooperation with HMH and other friendly organizations to pass on traditional China-U.S. friendship and promote sound development of our bilateral relationship. Chairman of board of HMH Benjamin Warren said that HMH will expand next year and step up cooperation with its Chinese counterparts to help more people learn more about U.S.-China cooperation during the Second World War.      

From October 3 to 5, Vice President Xie Yuan attended the 18th biennial Edgar Snow Symposium held in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. and delivered a speech at the opening session. Minister Xu Xueyuan of the Chines Embassy to the U.S. ,Acting Consul General Liu Jun of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, Governor Jeff Colyer of Kansas, Mayor pro tem Scott Wagner of Kansas City, President Nancy Hill and President-Elect Jim Mckusick of the Edgar Snow Memorial Foundation and more than 200 other delegates from China and the U.S. attended the symposium. In his speech, Vice President Xie Yuan said, The Chinese people will never forget, 48 years ago, Mr. Snow, together with Chairman Mao,  ascended the Tiananmen Gate Tower, an act signaling the forging of friendship between China and U.S.,sending a good will to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, and devoting civil wisdom and power to the normalization of China-U.S. Relations. Next year marks the 40th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations. Over the past four decades, the two countries have witnessed dramatic changes across the world. China-U.S. relations have evolved profoundly and will continue to grow. Today, we are gathered here to honor the memory of Edgar Snow, to revitalize and promote his legacy, to cherish and preserve the sound momentum he has created, and to unleash the full potential of people-to-people diplomacy, imbuing new energy to a sound, steady and growing China-U.S. Relationship. During the symposium, Director General Zhang Heqiang attended panel discussion Global Economic Development and Cultural Exchange. The CPAFFC delegation also witnessed the passing of a Resolution by Kansas City Council recognizing its Sister Cities relations with Yan’an and Xi’an and visited the Edgar Snow Reading Room in Miller-Nichols Library in UMKC. The Edgar Snow Symposium is a biennial event. The 18th symposium opened on October 4 and lasted 4 days. Edgar Snow, American writer and journalist, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1905. In 1936, in spite of difficulties, he visited Shaan-Gan-Ning Boarder Region and completed a book Red Star Over China, which extensively covered facts about the CPC and the Red Army, unveiled the Chinese revolution to the world and made an international impact. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of Red Star Over China.