On July 12th , hosted by CPAFFC, CIFCA and Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, undertaken by Chengdu Foreign Affairs Office, 2017 BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum was successfully held in Chengdu. Mr. Wang Jiarui, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Madame Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC and CIFCA, Mr. Deng Chuan, Vice Chairman of the Sichuan Committee of CPPCC, Mr. Luo Qiang, Mayor of Chengdu, Mr. Tang Chuanping, Chairman of CPPCC Chengdu Committee, Mr. Des Van Rooyen, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs of South Africa, Mr. Luciano Nunes Santos Filho, President of UNALE, Mr. Shipilov Aleksei, First Deputy Governor of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomus Okrug-Ugra of Russia, Madam I Kundan, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai of India, etc. attended the forum and delivered speeches respectively. Mr. Wang Jiarui pointed out that the Communist Party of China and Chinese government attach great importance to the cooperation among local governments, especially friendship cities of BRICS countries. On July 7th, President Xi Jinping presided over the BRICS Leaders’ Informal Meeting on the margins of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, reaffirming China’s intention and unchanging stand of highly valuing its cooperation with BRICS countries. The overall situation of the present world is still complicated and fraught with uncertainty. Developing countries have a common goal of national stability and people’s happiness. China has always been adhering to the principle of friendship with foreign countries. We hope that on the basis of mutual understanding, the BRICS countries will uphold the concept of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and cooperation, and achieve higher cooperation at the Xiamen Summit in September. Madam Li Xiaolin said that, with the increasingly close ties among BRICS countries, the BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum has become an important content of BRICS cooperation. Being responsible for the coordination and management of Chinese friendship cities, CPAFFC and CIFCA have worked together with friendly organizations and personnel from BRICS countries and made gratifying accomplishments in cooperation at the local and regional level. As a representative of emerging countries in transition, the BRICS countries have already formed a community of common destiny. There still leaves great space and potential for the development of friendship cities among the five countries. The forum is expected to serve as a bridge of exchange and mutual learning for cities and local governments of BRICS countries to seize opportunities and meet changes together. About 200 delegates, including around 100 ministers, state governors, mayors, heads of local organizations from the four other BRICS countries, and over 100 Chinese local leaders and representatives, experts and scholars, as well as entrepreneurs from 17 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions attended the forum. As one of the series of activities of the BRICS Xiamen Summit, the forum is concentrated on the theme of “Interconnected Development, Joint Innovation and Shared Benefits”. Top Talk among leaders of provinces and cities, as well as theme forums on “Urban Internationalization: Opportunity and Challenge” and “Education Exchange: Mechanism Innovation and Resource Sharing” were held. Also, the “Chengdu Initiative” was issued. The BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Governments Cooperation Forum was a mechanism aimed to promote exchanges and cooperation at the local and regional level among BRICS countries, initiated by CPAFFC and CIFCA when China held the BRICS Presidency in 2011. It is held every year by the BRICS Presidency and embraces its second time to be held by China this year.      

Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, President of China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA), met in Beijing with congresswoman delegation from Japanese ruling party which was led by Mme. NODA SEIKO, member of House of Representatives and former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party on July 12th. Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. KOICHI ITO， Minister of Japanese Embassy in China, attended the meeting. President Tang expressed that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China and Japan diplomatic relations. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan. Therefore, the bilateral relations are facing the important opportunities to improve. Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during the G20 Hamburg Summit and pointed out the general direction of the development of the two countries in the current time and in the future. Both sides should earnestly implement the consensus reached by two heads of states, properly handle relevant sensitive issues, steadily push forward the exchange and cooperation in various fields and make practical efforts to the improvement of bilateral ties. NODA SEIKO said, it is in line with the basic interests of the two peoples and also benefits to the prosperity and stability of Asia and the whole world to develop the friendly bilateral  relations. Japanese side would like to further strengthen the exchange and cooperation with Chinese side in future. She will actively improve the bilateral relations from the female politician’s perspective and power.

On July 11, the South Africa-China Local Government Dialogue, which was co-hosted by the CPAFFC, Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) of South Africa and Chengdu Municipal Government, was successfully held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Hon. Des Van Rooyen, Minister of COGTA, Mme. Liu Xiaoliu, Vice Mayor of Chengdu Municipal Government and nearly 100 local government representatives from both countries attended the Dialogue. In her remarks, Mme. Lin Yi hoped that through this Dialogue, local governments of China and South Africa can focus on the construction of 'Belt and Road', communicate ideas of cooperation, discuss and explore the areas of cooperation, so as to make the 'Belt and Road' provide a new platform for local government cooperation between the two countries and bring more real benefits to the two peoples. Minister Van Rooyen said that South Africa gives firm support to the resolutions of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit. He expects the Dialogue can enhance pragmatic cooperation between South African and Chinese cities and advance their joint efforts to address the challenges and opportunities, and facilitate the sharing of experience in urban governance and the establishment of friendship cities between the two countries as well. The theme of this Dialogue is 'Promote OUR Belt & Road through Local Cooperation'. Local government representatives and entrepreneurs from Shandong, Henan, Chongqing, Xiamen and Chengdu held in-depth discussions with South African delegates from South Africa Local Government Association, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces on topics of Local Industrial Matchmaking and Industrial Capacity Cooperation and Youth Employment and Vocational Training. This Dialogue was moderated by Dr. He Wenping, Chief Senior Researcher, Institute of West-Asian and African Studies (IWAAS) of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.  

On July 10th, the CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi met with Dr. Mohamed Khalil, President of Morocco-China Friendship and Exchanges Association (MCFEA), one of the winners of China-Arab Friendship Outstanding Contribution Awards. Mr. Abdelmalek Lakehayli, Vice-President of Casablanca and Mr. Mohamed Ouaoua, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in China attended the meeting. Vice President Lin Yi welcomed President Khalil to visit the association and said the CPAFFC would like to strength the communication with the MCFEA and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in China to promote the friendship exchanges in all areas including local governments, culture, tourism and young people between the two countries. President Khalil thanked Vice President Lin Yi for meeting with him and said the MCFEA would like to strength the exchanges and cooperation with the CPAFFC. Next year will be the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Morocco and China and he hopes to take it as an opportunity to make joint efforts to promote Sino-Moroccan people-to-people friendly relations to a new level.

Jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and German-Chinese Friendship Association in Mannheim/Rhein-Neckar, Germany, the Fifth Chinese-German U-16 Football Friendship Tournament was successfully held in Mannheim and Worms, Germany from 1. July to 2. July 2017. Leading by vice resident of CPAFFC Mr. Song Jingwu ,the Chinese delegation attended the Tournament. Four Chinese teams including Muslim Middle School Shenyang, Second Middle School Xiamen, FC Yanbian Fude and Qingdao Huangdao District and six German teams including FC Walderhof Mannheim, FC Womatia Worms, FA Baden select and Bergstrasse Select, etc. competed in the field. Eventually the U-16 team from FC Walderhof Mannheim won the championship of the Tournament. Xiamen Second Middle School was the only Chinese team entering the semi-finals of the Tournament, who was edged out with a final score of 0:1 by his German rival.  Peter Kurz, Mayer of Mannheim, Klaus Schlappner, the first foreign Chief Coach of the Chinese national football team, Ronny Zimmermann, Vice President of German Football Association etc. as well as the Chinese delegation attended and co-watched the games and the prize-presentation ceremony. The Tournament was initiated by Felix Kurz, President of German-Chinese Friendship Association in Mannheim/Rhein-Neckar, Klaus Schlappner and Norbert Egger, the former Vice Mayer of Mannheim, aiming to promote the Chinese-German Football exchange in youth and to create a communication Platform for youth in both countries, which has been held successfully for five times since 2012. According to incomplete statistics, near a thousand youth from over 20 schools in more than 40 cities both in China and in Germany have taken part in this Tournament.

On June 30, the Exhibition of “Memories from China: David Iancu, Bucur and Gisela Clejan” was held in Romania by CPAFFC, China-Romania Friendship Association, Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Shanghai Soong Ching-Ling Mausoleum, Chinese Embassy in Romania, Romanian-Chinese House. CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu, Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong, Vice President of Romanian-Chinese House Ambassador Ioan Donca, Procurator General of Romania Augustin Laz?r, State Secretary of Ministry of Culture of Romania Alexandru Oprean attended the opening ceremony.   Vice President Song Jingwu Giving a Speech Vice President Song Jingwu said in the opening remarks that this exhibition aimed to promote the internationalism of the Romanian doctors, to deepen the traditional friendship between the two peoples and to enhance win-win cooperation between China and Romania in the new era.   Chinese Ambassador to Romania Giving a Speech Romanian guests all spoke highly of the exhibition in the speeches. State Secretary Alexandru Oprean said that the exhibition evoked the common values and view of history of the two peoples and was a significant program for promotion of world peace. About 150 Chinese and Romanian guests from all walks of life attended the opening ceremony, and the story was covered by Romanian mainstream media, including an interview of Vice President Song Jingwu by National Television of Romania. David Iancu, Bucur and Gisela Clejan came to China with the International Medical Corps during Chinese People’s war against Japanese aggression and made tremendous contribution. Gisela Clejan sacrificed her life in China due to severe injuries. The three heroes of internationalism have become the symbolic figures of the friendship between China and Romania. State Secretary of Ministry of Culture of Romania Giving a Speech Vice President of Romanian-Chinese House Giving a Speech  Participants of the Opening Ceremony Vice President Song Jingwu Giving an Interview

On June 27th, the CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi met with H.E. Mr. Dhia Khaled, New Ambassador of Tunisia to China. Vice President Lin Yi welcomed Ambassador Khaled to take his new post in China and introduced the cooperation between the CPAFFC and Arab Countries during the recent years. She said the CPAFFC is willing to strengthen its ties with the embassy to promote bilateral friendship exchanges in various fields of culture, tourism and etc. H.E. Mr.Khaled thanked Madam Lin for the meeting and said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Tunisia, bilateral friendship relations and cooperation between the two countries had developed smoothly. The Tunisian society is stable at present and it is willing to continuously strengthen its cooperation with China. Tunisia supports “The Belt and Road” initiative proposed by China and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Tunisia and take advantages of excellent geographical location and convenient trade environment of Tunisia to develop the markets in Europe, Africa and Arab Countries. The embassy regards the CPAFFC as an important partner and hopes to work closely with the CPAFFC to promote the friendship exchanges between Chinese and Tunisian peoples through joint efforts.

On June 27th, a reception to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China- Guyana diplomatic relations was held in Beijing. Around 200 personages including Mr. Ma Peihua, Vice Chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and President of China-Latin America and Caribbean Friendship Association (CLACFA), Mr. Hu Sishe, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. Bayney Karran, Ambassador of Guyana Embassy in China and some of other Ambassadors to China, attended the reception. Before the reception, Vice Chairman Ma Peihua had a brief meeting with Ambassador Karran. Vice President Hu Sishe said in his speech that, Guyana is the first English-speaking country in Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations with China. The peoples of the two countries enjoy profound friendship. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Guyana diplomatic relations, which is also the 45th year to deepen the friendship and win-win cooperation. He hoped that both sides should take this year as an opportunity to further push bilateral relations for improvement and carry forward the traditional friendship of the two countries. Mr. Carl Greenidge, the second Guyana Vice President and  Foreign Minister, sent congratulatory video to the reception. He said, the development of Guyana is inseparable from the support and assistance from China. The cooperation in various fields between China and Guyana is pragmatic and effective. Both sides also keep good relationship in international affairs. He hoped that the bilateral relations would achieve greater development in next 45 year.    

On June 23rd , Vice President Xie Yuan met with Donna Walker, First Lady of the State of Alaska, United States and the Honorary President of Alaska Children 's Trust. Vice President Xie Yuan introduced the function of CPAFFC and its work in promoting sister cities relationship and China-US sub-national exchange mechanisms. He also expressed hope for more cooperation between China and Alaska in tourism, energy and other areas. Donna Walker expressed her gratitude for the great hospitality of CPAFFC. She said that this trip brought her better knowledge of China. She would help to facilitate closer exchanges and cooperation between Alaska and China in the future.

On June 22nd, the 2017 China International Taiji·Yoga Conference hosted by China India Friendship Association was held in Langfang, Hebei Province. Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Madame Thekkat，Counselor of the Indian Embassy attended its closing ceremony. Vice President Lin Yi said on the closing ceremony that the essence of Taiji and Yoga is similar, so she hoped Taiji and Yoga could act as the modern bridge for Chinese and Indian cultural exchanges and facilitate the mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples. Also, she appealed to the audience to actively practice Taiji and Yoga so as to know the two culture better and promote China India friendship. Counselor Thekkat said in her speech that there’s a lot in common between Taiji and Yoga. These two sports could be the bond to connect the people of our countries, thus further enhancing China India cultural exchanges. On the closing ceremony, the champion of 2017 Yoga Anasa Competition, renowned Taiji masters and Yoga delegation from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga offered wonderful performances.