On August 8, 2018, Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr. Luis Antonio Revilla, Mayor of La Paz City, capital of Bolivia, and his wife. Vice President Xie Yuan introduced the main tasks of the CPAFFC and the results from the cooperation and exchanges in the field of the local governments between CPAFFC and Latin-America in recent years. Both sides exchanged views on how to develop the exchanges in the fields of economy, trade, culture between the governments of the two countries.   Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC attended the meeting.       Photographed by Chen Kuanghuai

In order to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China strategic partnership, the 2nd ASEAN-China People-to-People Friendship Organizations Leader’s Meeting (hereinafter referred to as: Meeting), and the 6th ASEAN- China Youth Cultural Exchange Festival (hereinafter referred to as: Exchange Festival)  co-sponsored by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the People’s Government of Sichuan Province and organized by Sichuan People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC), were held in Chengdu on the evening of August 6. Mme. Gu Xiulian, President of China-ASEAN Association (CAA) delivered a keynote speech and announced the opening of the activities. Mr. KORN DABBARANSI, the former deputy Prime Minister and the President of Thailand-China Friendship Association (TCFA), Mr. Yin Li, Governor of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, made speeches respectively. Around 250 personages including Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Mr. Liu Jie, Deputy Director-General of the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, and leaders from friendship organizations in China and ASEAN countries, as well as youth representatives, attended the opening ceremony. Gu Xiulian said, with a theme of Sharing Development Experience, Promoting Service Strategic Docking, Building a Community with a Shared Future between China and neighboring countries, the Meeting closely followed the background of the times and the hot issues covering the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up, Belt and Road Initiative and etc.. The Exchange Festival, with a theme of Innovation Creating Development, Youth Leading Future, was a better response to the China-ASEAN Year of Innovation. She pointed out , with the further development of the reform and opening up, China will bring more opportunities to the foreign countries in the world including ASEAN countries. Nongovernmental “10+1” friendly mechanism should not forget the starting mission of learning each other and should adhere to the attitude of opening up and cooperation and make contributions to build a closer Community with a Shared Future between China and ASEAN countries. Yin Li said, nongovernmental organizations of China and ASEAN countries had made active contributions to the development of ASEAN-China strategic partnership. Cultural exchanges of the youth had become an important bond among the hearts of the peoples. This activity will be certain to provide new opportunities for the cooperation for win-win results and the exchanges of the youth between Sichuan and ASEAN countries, also enhance the cultural resonance among the peoples and strengthen a friendly foundation for the relationship between China and ASEAN countries as well as commonly promote and create a higher level of China-ASEAN strategic partnership. KORN DABBARANSI expressed that the nongovernmental “10+1” dialogue mechanism jointly launched by China and ASEAN countries fifteen years ago, which had become a successful and sustainable people-to-people dialogue platform  toward peace and prosperity. This mechanism is cohesion of the willingness and consensus of nearly 2 billion people from China and ASEAN and played a vital role in peace, stability and prosperity of this region and the world. The friendly organizations from ASEAN countries firmly support the nongovernmental "10+1" mechanism and are willing to work with China to create a more close friendly relationship. This Meeting invited nearly 30 people from the 10 ASEAN countries including 11 leaders from friendly organizations to attend this activity. It would hold three plenary meetings and arrange inspections on the topics of Belt and Road Initiative, opening-up and others. Over a hundred college students from the 9 ASEAN countries were invited to attend this Exchange Festival and were divided into three groups with 30 college students from Chengdu to visit Sichuan and other places, and exchanged their views with the representatives.        

At the invitation of Sister Cities International (SCI), Vice President Xie Yuan visited the U.S. from July 30th to August 3rd . He participated at the 62nd SCI annual conference in Aurora, Colorado. Prior to that he visited California to attend the opening of Politics and Pop Culture of First Ladies Fashion Exhibition at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda and meet with President Jerrold Green of the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles. Themed as “Cities Leading the Way”, the SCI annual conference attracted more than 500 participants from 15 countries, including elected officials, sister cities and community leaders, scholars, business executives and youth leaders. As a special sub-forum of this year’s conference, the “Silk Road Track” gathered speakers from the U.S., Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzsta to talk about how to do a better job for sister cities of the relevant countries along the Silk Road. Vice President Xie delivered a speech as the guest speaker. He introduced the ancient Silk Road and its major features including openness and inclusiveness, peace and cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win. He also introduced the “Belt and Road”Initiative (BRI) and its achievements during the past five years. He emphasized how to promote sister cities work and deepen people-to-people bond through the BRI platform. Participants spoke highly of Vice President Xie’s speech and expressed their willingness to join the BRI, and conduct more practical cooperation in the fields of sister cities, education, people-people exchanges, so as to make tangible benefits to local citizens. Vice President Xie also held meeting with board members of SCI and exchanged ideas on co-hosting the Fourth U.S.-China Friendship Cities Conference next July. Over 100 people from political, business and other social sectors of southern California attended the opening of the exhibition at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. The exhibition featured the red coat wore by Mrs. Pat Nixon on her 1972 trip to China, and thus China-US relationship was a highlight at the opening event. Vice President Xie Yuan said in his speech, President Nixon’s visit to China opened the door of communication between China and the United States. It is one of the most important events in the world history. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations. The exhibition will help the American people to understand that important part of history in China-U.S. relations, and encourage people to treat China-U.S. friendly relationship in a more prudent way. When meeting with President Jerrold Green of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the two sides discussed about the plan of co-hosting China-U.S. Relations Conference in the U.S. next year.          

Co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Dunhuang Academy, Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum, the opening ceremony of Hirayama Ikuo’s Silk Road---Collections of Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum was held on August 1st in Exhibition Center for the Conservation and Research of Dunhuang Cave Relics. Hundreds of guests including Mr. Hao Yuan, Vice Chairman of Gansu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. YOKOI Yutaka, Japanese Ambassador to China, and his wife YOKOI Eiko, Mr. Hu Sishe, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mme. Fan Jinshi，Honorary Director of the Dunhuang Academy, Mr. Wang Xudong, Director of the Dunhuang Academy, Mr. HIRAYAMA REN, Director of Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum, Mr. MIYASAKO MASAAKI, Honorary Professor of the Tokyo University of the Arts, Mr. Chen Jianzhong, Chairman of the Board of KOUZAN Fine-arts Company, Mme. Ma Yuping, Director-General of Gansu Province of Cultural Heritage, Mr. Ma Cong, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Overseas Chinese Affairs and Hongkong and Macao Affairs Office of Gansu Provincial People’s Government, Mr. Du Zhixue, Vice Chairman of Jiuquan Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Bai Xingwei, Deputy Director-General of Committee for Foreign Affairs and Affairs of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese, CPPCC Gansu Provincial Committee, and etc., attended the opening ceremony. This exhibition is one of the projects of the 3rd Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo. It was divided into three exhibition areas respectively with the theme of Hirayama Ikuo and Silk Spirit, Hirayama Ikuo and Dunhuang, Hirayama Ikuo and Silk Road. 170 pieces of relics from western part of Pamir Highland and 8 pieces of sketching work about Dunhuang grottos collected in the Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum.  This exhibition not only displayed the magnificent Silk Road relics collected by Hirayama Ikuo in the past 40 years, but also reviewed his extraordinary life as a master painting, cultural ambassador between China and Japan, a guardian of world cultural heritage.  Ambassador YOKOI Yutaka said in his opening speech that, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship. It is at the right time and is of great significance to organize this exhibition for the bilateral relations during this period. Vice President Hu Sishe expressed, Hirayama Ikuo is an old friend of Chinese people and also is a representative of the friendship between peoples. He has been taking the lead and promoting the development of the Sino-Japanese friendship for a long time, and actively enhancing the friendship between peoples. Especially as President of Japan and China Friendship Association (JCFA) since 1992, he made great contribution to and played an important role in developing the friendly activities of peoples between China and Japan, which was highly praised by the governments and people of both countries. He hoped that this exhibition could promote the friendly exchanges between peoples and also make a positive impact on the cultural exchanges of the countries and the regions along the Belt and Road.        

Vice President Lin Yi met with US Legislators and Mayors Delegation headed by Mr. Jimmy Gomez, member of US Congress on July 30. Vice President Lin briefed about the recent work done by CPAFFC to promote sub-national cooperation between China and the United States. She hoped that the delegation could learn more about China through this visit, and to lay the foundation for future cooperation between the two sides. Representative Gomez thanked CPAFFC for the hospitality shown to the delegation. He believed that the prosperous  California-China trade relations have brought about concrete benefit to the people of our two countries, and hoped all US states including California could deepen their cooperation with China.

On July 26th, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr. Franco Terenzi, President of San Marino-China Friendship Association. Vice President Song congratulated the San Marino-China Friendship Association on its fruitful achievements in various fields since its establishment in 1988. He said that this association has played an irreplaceable role in promoting the development of bilateral relations, and he also spoke highly of the cooperation between the two associations. President Terenzi expressed that the prospect of the development of the relations between the two countries is broad. San Marino-China Friendship Association is willing to work with CPAFFC to jointly carry out more pragmatic cooperation in the fields of economy, culture and tourism, continuously deepen the friendship between the two peoples. The Vice Director-General of The Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Lyu Hongwei, was present at the meeting.       Photographed by Yang Yingzi

Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with German parliaments delegation at the invitation of CPAFFC on July, 23rd. The delegation was dispatched by Seidel Stiftung Foundation. Vice President Song said that, Sino-German relations are developing closely, and the cooperation is extensive. The cooperation of the two countries in various fields plays the complementary advantages. He spoke highly of the remarkable achievements Seidel Stiftung Foundation and CPAFFC had jointly made for nearly 40 years. He expressed, CPAFFC is willing to continue strengthening the cooperation with Seidel Stiftung Foundation in the field of parliamentary members exchange. Dr. Ullrich, a parliamentarian in German Bundestag said, it is the first time to visit China for the members of the delegation， therefore, they are curious about China’s development. The relations between Germany and China have developed very well, especially after the fifth Sino-German government consultations, the relations with China has become a hot issue among the various parties in the parliament. Both sides had an in-depth exchange on the issues common concerned. Mr. Lv Hongwei, Deputy Director-General of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, attended the meeting. A report on “German Cooperation and Refugee Issues” was held by Seidel Stiftung Foundation and CPAFFC on the afternoon in Beijing. Ms. Staffler and Ms. Wittmann, members of the delegation, made a special report respectively on German development assistant and refugee issue. They also exchanged with Chinese experts and scholars.            

On July 23, CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan met with Dr. Robby Schlund, Member of German Bundestag. Xie Yuan welcomed Robby Schlund for his first visit to China and CPAFFC, and briefly introduced the functions of CPAFFC and people-to-people exchanges and friendship-city cooperation between China and Germany. Xie said that since the establishment of China-Germany all-round strategic partnership in 2014, the China-Germany relations maintain a momentum of rapid development. The exchange of visits between your Chancellor and our Premier this year has deepened the bilateral relations. CPAFFC is willing to work with German Bundestag and local Parliaments to jointly promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship-city cooperation between the two countries. Xie also invited Schlund to attend the 2018 China International Friendship Cities Conference in November. Schlund thanked Xie for sparing the time to meet him and spoke highly of CPAFFC’s contribution to promoting people’s friendship and people-to-people friendly contacts and friendship-city cooperation between China and Germany. As the deputy head of the Chinese Affairs Group of Bundestag, he expressed his willingness to cooperate with CPAFFC to deepen the exchanges and cooperation in the fields of parliaments, local governments and friendship cities between the two countries. Before his visit to CPAFFC, Schlund met with Mr. Liu Qian, Vice-Chairperson of the Educational, Scientific, Cultural and Health Committee of the NPC. The two sides exchanged views on Chinese and German medical system and the development of traditional medicine. As the President of Chinese Hospital Association, Liu hoped to carry out exchanges and cooperation with its German counterparts and hospitals. Schlund promised to facilitate such cooperation. Qing Boming, Secretary General of CIFCA, was present at the meeting.          

On July 23, 2018, Tang Jiaxuan, President of the China-Japan Friendship Association, met with Oshima Tadamori, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japanese Parliament. Zhang Zhijun, Vice Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Song Jingwu, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Hu Xiaoli, Director General of Foreign Affairs of the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee, and Yokoi Yutaka, Japanese Ambassador to China, were present at the meeting. Tang Jiaxuan welcomed the delegation to visit China. He said that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty and is also an important year in the process of improving the China-Japan relations. On this occasion, Speaker Oshima Tadamori and the super-partisan delegation’s visit to China is of great significance. It is hoped that the visit will play a positive and constructive role in further improving the relations between the two countries. Oshima Tadamori thanked Tang Jiaxuan for taking the time to meet him. He said that Japan and China should show the world a firm attitude by continuously improving and developing the bilateral relations in the complex and changeable international situation. He also said he hoped to comprehensively learn about China’s economic and social development through this visit and would continue to make efforts for the development of the bilateral relations in the future.        

At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), a thirty-five Cambodian friendly personages delegation led by Mr. EK Sam OL, President of Cambodia-China Friendship Association (CCFA), visited Beijing from 16th to 20th , July. The delegation also attended the celebration reception for the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Cambodia co-hosted by CPAFFC and Cambodian Embassy in China. Mme. Gu Xiulian, President of China-ASEAN Association, met with and hosted a banquet for the delegation. Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of CPAFFC, had a kindly conversation with President EK Sam OL and the members of the delegation on the reception.  The leaders of CPAFFC extended their welcome to the delegation for its special visit to China to attend the reception and spoke actively of the contributions CCFA had made to promoting the friendship of peoples between China and Cambodia, China and ASEA. They also hoped that CPAFFC would work together with CCFA in future to continue strengthening the pragmatic cooperation and developed more exchanges of people-to-people ties in the fields of culture, youth, public welfare and etc..  President EK Sam OL thanked CPAFFC for invitation the delegation to attend the reception and spoke highly of the friendly relations between China and Cambodia. He expressed that CCFA would like to join hands with CPAFFC to carry forward the traditional friendship, to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and to build a community of a shared future between China and Cambodia, so as to realize common development and prosperity.  During in Beijing, President EK Sam OL also was interviewed by China Report ASEAN on the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia, and the delegation visited “Taking the lead action, Making unremitting endeavors---Innovation achievements exhibition of Chinese Academy of Sciences since the 18th National Congress” and Tongrentang Pharmaceutical Shop.       Photographed by Xu Yiyi