The reception in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the Embassy of South Africa in China, was held in Beijing on January 18, 2018. H.E. Mr. Qiangba Puncog, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, H.E. Mr. Abdul'ahat Abdurixit, Former Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association (CAPFA), H.E. Mr. Tian Xuejun, Vice Minister of Education, H.E. Mr. Shen Youqing, Major General of Logistic Support Department, Central Military Commission, Mme. Lin Yi, CPAFFC Vice President, H.E. Mr. Chen Xiaodong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mrs. Dolana Msimang, Ambassador of South Africa to China and other 300 guests from all walks of life attended the reception. CAPFA President H.E. Mr. Abdul'ahat Abdurixit said in his remarks that over the past 20 years, with joint efforts from both sides, China-South Africa relations have been upgraded from partnership to strategic partnership and then to comprehensive strategic partnership. The political mutual trust has deepened, exponential growth of the scale of pragmatic cooperation has been achieved, and rich and colorful people-to-people and cultural exchanges have been carried out as well. The convening of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will bring new opportunities and momentum to the development of China-South Africa and China-Africa relations. The two countries should join hands and take a long-term perspective, to make China-South Africa relations in full bloom in the new era. Ambassador Msimang said that she is very happy to see that the success of South Africa-China close cooperation is increasingly anchored by people-to-people relations. She also noted that based on mutual trust and friendship between leaders of China and South Africa, bilateral political relations at the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership are excellent. The two countries have carried out pragmatic and rich exchanges and cooperation in areas of economy and culture and stayed in close contact within the framework of FOCAC and BRICS.  

On 16th January, Mme Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with H.E. Mme. Milia Jabbour, Ambassador of Lebanon to China. Vice President Lin Yi welcomed Ambassador Jabbour for taking her new post in China and introduced the people-to-people friendly exchanges and cooperation carried out between the CPAFFC and Lebanon during the resent years. Ambassador Jabbour expressed her wishes to work with the CPAFFC to enrich the friendly relations between the two countries.

In order to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Conclusion of Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, China-Japan Friendly Annual Meeting was co-sponsored by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) in Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on the afternoon of January 14th . Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, President of CJFA, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr. YOKOYI YUTAKA, Ambassador of Japanese Embassy in China and his wife, Mr. kawaihirotaka, General Manager of KAWAI Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd., attended the meeting. The Chinese and Japanese youth Pianists , Sun Jian and AMI MAIKO, made wonderful interpretation of tracks of the two countries, such as Chopin’s《Waltz》, Robert Alexander Schumann’s 《Traumerei》as well as 《Red Flowers Blooming All Over the Mountain》and《Cherry》; Zhang Yi and Gao Shiqi, young opera singers from Center Conservatory of Music, sang the classic parts of 《The school of lovers》and《The Lady of the Camellias》; The primary and secondary students of the two countries  from Oriental Primary School and Japanese School of Beijing commonly sang 《Jasmine》and 《Four Seasons Song》, which pushed the atmosphere of the concert to the climax. As the first event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Conclusion of Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan for CPAFFC, China-Japan Friendly Annual Meeting won the warm applause and unanimous praise from the audience. Above 400 personages from all walks of life of the two countries including leaders from relevant institutions, such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and etc., council members from CJFA and representatives from Japanese enterprises in Beijing and News organizations, watched the performance. KAWAI Music Education· China and Japan Friendly Exchange Foundation was sponsor.      

On 11th January, Mme Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with H.E. Mrs. Tania S. Y. Romualdo, Ambassador of the Republic of Cabo Verde to China in Beijing. Ambassador Romualdo expressed her appreciation of the remarkable contribution of CPAFFC in people-to-people exchanges between Cabo Verde and China.  She indicated that, by coincidence, the Cabo Verdian traditional Carnival this year and Chinese Spring Festival will be celebrated during the same period. Therefore, she would personally return to her country and participate in this event in order to promulgate traditional friendship between Cabo Verde and China and bring the two peoples closer.  Mme. Lin Yi thanked Ambassador Romualdo for her attention and support to the cause of China-Cabo Verde friendship in past years and expressed the willingness of CPAFFC to work in collaboration with the Embassy of Cabo Verde in Beijing to further the friendly exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture and youth, and to promote the bilateral relations for a constant and healthy development.   Mr. Li Hai, Deputy Director-General of Department of Asian and African Affairs of CPAFFC attended the meeting.

On 10th January, Mme Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with H.E. Mr. Ahmad Berwari, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to China in Beijing. Vice President Lin Yi sent New Year greetings to Ambassador Berwari and said since this year is the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iraq, the CPAFFC is willing to take this opportunity to strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Iraqi side. Ambassador Berwari thanked Vice President Lin for meeting with him. He said the embassy is willing to strengthen cooperation with the CPAFFC to further promote pragmatic exchanges between the two countries in various fields. The two sides also exchanged views on the work of 2018.

On January 8, Vice President Xie Yuan met with the Mayor Esko Lotvonen, together with his delegation of Rovaniemi Municipal Government of Finland at the CPAFFC. Vice President Xie Yuan firstly introduced CPAFFC’s efforts to promote cooperation and exchanges between local governments from China and other countries in recent years. The friendship ties between Rovaniemi and Ha’erbin, and Beijing’s host of 2022 Winter Olympics, provide huge potential in ice sports cooperation between Rovaniemi, the Santa Claus hometown at the Arctic Circle, and its counterparts in China.   Mayor Esko Lotvonen responded that we have witnessed the long lasting friendship between Finland and China. In this context, Rovaniemi enjoys abundant cooperation opportunities with Chinese cities in similar features. For example, Rovaniemi will play a key role in advancing ice sports development in Ha’erbin which attaches great importance to it. Moreover, the kick-off of direct flight between Rovaniemi and Beijing in 2019 will bring an increasing number of Chinese tourists to our destination. I am still impressed by the joint singing of Ode to Peace by our Santa Claus and Beijing Philharmonic Choir led by CPAFFC at our traditional Christmas Lighting Ceremony in Rovaniemi, on November 18, 2017. In short, we look forward to enhancing our cooperation and exchanges with CPAFFC in the future.

On January 5, Vice President Xie Yuan met with the student delegation from the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University. Vice President Xie regarded the youth as the future of the world. It is an important task for CPAFFC to promote youth exchange between China and other countries. He hoped that the delegation could gain a better understanding on China through this visit, and contribute to the sound development of China-US relations in the future. Delegation members recognized the growing global influence of China in recent years, which caused great attention in the US. They wished to have extensive communication with Chinese government divisions, enterprises and academic institutions during the visit, so as to help foster closer ties between the two countries.

Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with Mr. Victor Sikonina, Madagascar Ambassador to China on January 3rd. On behalf of the Madagascar Embassy in China, Ambassador Victor Sikonina expressed New Year’s greeting to CPAFFC. He also said that Madagascar would like to actively take part in the construction of the Belt and Road since it locates in the Belt and Road and to work together with the Chinese side to promote the friendly exchanges of the two countries. Vice President Lin Yi thanked Ambassador Victor Sikonina and the Madagascar Embassy in China for giving support to CPAFFC for several years and sent best wishes to them. Both sides exchanged their views on deepening the cooperation of the two countries. Mr. Li Hai, Deputy Director General of Department of Asian and African Affairs of CPAFFC, Mme. Manitra Rakotoarivony and Mr. Josoa eric Zonia, Counsellors of the Madagascar Embassy in China, attended the meeting.

The donation ceremony that Poly International Holdings Company Limited (Hereinafter referred to as “Poly International”) donated money to “Help Hearing-Impaired Patients Recover Their Hearing Foundation” was held in Beijing on December 27th. Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Director of China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), Mr. Wang Xingye， Assistant General Manager of Poly Group and Deputy General Manager of Poly International, Mme. Jia Ling, Secretary General of CFFPD, Mr. Cao Wensu, Secretary of Commission for Discipline Inspection of Poly International, Mr. Wang Yang, the Chairman of Board of Directors and CEO of Shen Yang Hong Ding Kang Medical Instruments Co., Ltd.，attended the activity. Secretary General Li Xikui expressed welcome to Poly International and  Shen Yang Hong Ding Kang Medical Instruments Co., Ltd. delegation and thanked Poly International for making contributions to donating money to “Help Hearing-Impaired Patients Recover Their Hearing Foundation” . He also made an introduction about the main function and duties of CPAFFC and CFFPD, and hoped that both sides could develop the cooperation and exchanges in more various fields and help the hearing-impaired patients in more poor areas to recover their hearing. Moreover, each party could play all advantages to make the public brand more better. Mr. Wang Xingye, Deputy General Manager of Poly International, hopes that this public project could develop in the countries along the Belt and Road to help the hearing-impaired patients in foreign countries to recover their hearing, which could enhance the image of the Chinese enterprises and that the Chinese enterprises could fulfill their social responsibilities in the locals. During the activity, Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of CPAFFC and Director of CFFPD, issued the donation certificate to Mr. Wang Xingye， Assistant General Manager of Poly Group and Deputy General Manager of Poly International. Mme. Jia Ling, Secretary General of CFFPD, and Mr. Cao Wensu, Secretary of Commission for Discipline Inspection of Poly International, signed 《Donation Agreement 》.

The reception in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malawi, co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the Embassy of Malawi in China, was held in Beijing on December 22, 2017. H.E. Mr. Luo Fuhe, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Mr. Chen Xiaodong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Mr. Charles Namondwe, Ambassador of Malawi to China, representatives of African diplomatic corps and other 120 guests from all walks of life attended the reception. Mme. Lin Yi said in her speech that over the past decade, China and Malawi have always been guided by the principle of enhancing sincere friendship and cooperation, treating each other as equals, and promoting win-win progress and common development. Bilateral political trust has been continuously deepened and economic cooperation has yielded fruitful results as well, which has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. Under the guidelines of the 19th CPC National Congress, China will adhere to the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests, as well as the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith, in order to strengthen solidarity and cooperation between China and Malawi. Ambassador Charles Namondwe said in his speech that the 10th anniversary of Malawi-China diplomatic relations will provide an opportunity to renew the partnership and cooperation between the two countries. Malawi will continue to remain China’s strategic and longstanding partner so as to benefit the two peoples.