On April 10th, President Li Xiaolin met with Nicola Sturgeon，First Minister of Scotland of the UK. President Li Xiaolin welcomed Sturgeon’s revisit to China at the invitation of the CPAFFC and giving speech on the topic of Safeguarding the Rights of the Poor Children. She said that its is one major task of the CPAFFC to facilitating charity work including Safeguarding the Rights of the Poor Children. Together with the UNICEF and other institutes, the CPAFFC carried out a series of projects on child poverty alleviation and is willing to help promote the exchange of experiences in this filed between China and Scotland.  Sturgeon appreciated the CPAFFC’s invitation and host of her revisit to China, said that the Scottish government have included the United National’s Sustainable Development Goals into its government performance framework and carried out a series policies to promote child rights and equity by closing the gaps for the poorest children and is looking forward to cooperation with the CPAFFC in this field. Vice President of the CPAFFC Hu Sishe, Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy to China Martyn Roper and UNICEF’s Representative to China Rana Flowers attended the meeting.   Ren Xin   photograph

On March 29, Mme.Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, met with the delegation jointly led by Mr.C K Kho, President of Singa-China Association (SCA) and Mr. James Ow Chin Seng, President of Singapore-China Business Association (SCBA). President Li said that the China-Singapore relations enjoy sound development at present and has harvested abundant cooperative fruits in various fields. Singapore is an important country along the Belt and Road and the bilateral cooperation has huge potentials in this regard. The CPAFFC is willing to join the hands with the Singapore side to enhance the cooperation in education, culture and youth for the people-to-people inter-connectivity and the stable development China-Singapore relations. President Kho said that SCA has engaged in the promotion of bilateral cooperation in business and trade, economy and investment over the past 5 more years. SCA is ready to work with CPAFFC in consolidating the traditional friendship and conduct more mutual visits as well as projects on people-to-people friendship. President Ow said that SCBA acts as bridges for the companies from both countries, serves actively for the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative and will cooperate with CPAFFC in culture and charity fields.  

Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with Mr. YONEYAMA RYUICHI, Governor of Niigata-ken on March, 27th. President Li said, Niigata-ken has a tradition of keeping friendly relations with China. As early as 1980s, Niigata-ken had established friendship-city relations with Heilongjiang Province and had ever developed a series of pragmatic cooperation with Shaanxi Province about crested ibises protection, which had become a remarkable story for the friendly relationship between China and Japan. Since 2014, jointly sponsored and created by CPAFFC and SDT (Shanghai Dance Theater), the dance drama Crested Ibises had visited Japan for three times to perform, and in January this year, the dance drama Crested Ibises performed successfully in America for the first time, which were popular with Japanese and American audiences. Peace and friendship are the common themes for humanity. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan and also the 45th anniversary of friendship-cites exchanges of the two countries. CPAFFC and CJFA( China-Japan Friendship Association) will hold a series of commemorative activities to push bilateral relations for improvement and welcome Governor YONEYAMA RYUICHI and other friendly personages from all walks of life in Niigata-ken to attend actively by then. Governor YONEYAMA RYUICHI made an introduction about the exchanges and cooperation developed between Niigata-ken and Heilongjiang province and other regions in China. He said, Niigata-ken is the hometown of the late Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, and moreover, Niigata-ken has established relationship with China due to crested ibises. The personages from all walks of life in Niigata-ken attach importance to the exchanges and cooperation with China, and also consider China’s development as important opportunities. They will continue to carry forward the tradition of keeping friendly relations with China in the future and seize on the opportunities to further develop the exchanges and cooperation in various fields with relevant organizations in China so as to make efforts on the improvement of the bilateral relations and the friendship for generations of the two countries. President Li Xiaolin also introduced the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017 and 2018 national two sessions to the delegation.    

On March 27, Madame Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, met with Mr. Phua Kok Khoo, President of Singapore-China Friendship Association (SCFA). President Li thanked President Phua for his long-term contribution to the people-to-people friendship between the two countries. She said that China-Singapore all-round cooperative partnership advancing with the times has already been established, CPAFFC is willing to join the hands with the SCFA to grasp the opportunity and deepen the cooperation to promote the people-to-people inter-connectivity and serve the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Mr. Phua briefed Madame Li of the work by SCFA in recent years. He said that the bilateral relations now develop smoothly and Singapore supports the BRI. SCFA is ready to cooperate with CPAFFC on more people-to-people friendship projects, thus to make continuous efforts for the stable development of Singapore-China as well as ASEAN-China relations.

The Sixth Mid-Session of High-Level China-France Forum on Local Government Cooperation co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), DAECT du Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères de France (DAECT MEAEF), Cités Unies France (CUF) , Régions de France, was held in Beijing on March 26th, 2018. Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, Mr. Zhu Jing, Deputy Director-General of European Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. GARRIGUES Michèle, Conseillère régionale de l’Occitanie et Présidente du groupe-pays CUF, Mr. Jean-Baptiste De BOISSIERE, Minister of French Embassy in China, Mme. MORO Christine, Director of DAECT MEAEF, attended the meeting and delivered speeches respectively. Over hundreds of representatives from nearly 30 local governments of the two countries had discussions on how to develop cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism and etc. between the local governments of the two countries.              

At the joint invitation of six ambassadors from the Embassies of   the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyz, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan in China, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended the reception of International Day of Navruz on March, 23rd, 2018. President Li expressed congratulations to the ambassadors and celebrated the holiday with them in the way of the traditional customs in Central Asia and Caucasus. The ambassadors thanked President Li for taking her time to meet them. They all said that President Li attended the reception herself, which shows her great attention to the friendly relationship of the peoples between China and other countries and it is an encouragement for the ambassadors. Navruz holiday is an ancient and traditional ethnic holiday for Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia and has a history of over 3000 years. Navruz means a new day and is to welcome beginning of spring. In 2009, Navruz holiday was included in the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2010, the United Nations passed a special resolution and announced that the International Day of Navruz was celebrated on March, 21st , every year. Hundreds of personage including ambassadors from the Embassies of Russia, India, Mongolia, Pakistan and other countries in China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretary General, envoys from relevant countries and representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and other relevant institutions, attended the activity.  

Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Federation of German-China Friendship Association (FGCFA) presidents delegation, and signed cooperation agreement between CPAFFC and FGCFA with Mr. Kurt Karst, President of FGCFA on March, 22nd. President Li Xiaolin spoke highly of the important contributions FGCFA had made on promoting the friendship between China and Germany. She hoped, FGCFA will continue promoting the friendship and developing strategic partnership of the two countries in all respects. President Kurt Karst appreciated CPAFFC for giving support and assistance in FGCFA during the beginning of its founding. New German government develops relations with China, which is in line with the interests of German government and people. FGCFA will also make contributions to developing relationship with China. FGCFA was established in December, 2016. It has 23 regional associations for friendship with China and is an important friendly organization to China. This time, the members of FGCFA presidents delegation will visit Beijing, Zhejiang and Shenzhen with the theme of digital economic development and cooperation between China and Germany.

Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with Mr. TERASAKI HIROTSUGU, Vice President of the Japanese Soka Gakkai, and his delegation on March 5th. Mme. Zhu Dan, Deputy Director-General of Department of Japanese Affairs of CPAFFC, attended the meeting. President Li welcomed the delegation and said that China and Japan are close neighbors linked by a narrow strip of water. Both countries share cultural similarity. Therefore, keeping peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries is in line with the fundamental interests of the both sides , which is also the only correct choice for the two countries. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, which is also the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations proposed by Mr. Ikeda Daisaku. President Li hoped that Soka Gakkai could inherit and carry forward the belief of against war and keeping peace and friendship between the two countries upheld by Honorary President Soka Gakkai , and could make more contributions to promote the cause of the friendship between China and Japan. CPAFFC and CJFA would like to continue to keep close contact with Soka Gakkai to develop a variety of the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries and to make contributions to improve the bilateral relations. TERASAKI HIROTSUGU thanked President Li for taking her time to meet them and said that at present, the relationship between Japan and China shows good sign which is gratified. Soka Gakkai guided by Honorary President Ikeda Daisaku had been adhering to the belief of the friendship between Japan and China, which is unchanged. In future, it would carry forward the tradition of the friendship between Japan and China, and inspire the young generation to participate in the cause of the friendship of the two countries to further strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side, which could make the “Golden Bridge” of the friendship between the two countries more firm. 

In order to promote cultural exchanges between the Mainland and Hong Kong and display the Spring Festival folk culture of the Mainland to Hong Kong compatriots at a close distance, the China Foundation for Friendship and Peace Development (CFFPD), the Chinese Culture Friendship Association, Henan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Hong Kong United Arts Development Centre Co., Ltd. co-hosted 2018 Hong Kong Happy Spring Festival Cultural Temple Fair with the theme of “Origin China, Hometown Henan”. The temple fair was opened on February 24th, 2018 in Kowloon Park of Hong Kong. Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC and Honorary President of CFFPD, Mr. Zhao Jiancai, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Henan Provincial People’s Congress, Mr. Yang Jian, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Ms. Bai Bing, Council Member of the Chinese Culture Friendship Association, Mr. LAU Kong-wah, Secretary for Home Affairs of HKSAR, Mr. MA Fung-kwok, Member of the Legislative Council of HKSAR, Ms. Michelle LI Mei-sheung, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services of HKSAR and other 500 guests and local residents attended the opening ceremony. In her speech, President Li Xiaolin said that the Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese nation. Both the Mainland and Hong Kong value family reunion and happiness. In 2017, the first Hong Kong Happy Spring Festival Cultural Temple Fair was welcomed and loved by Hong Kong compatriots. This year, the organizers cooperate with Henan Province which is known as “the origin of Chinese civilization” and meticulously organize a variety of cultural projects featuring the characteristics of Central Plains such as Shaolin Kung Fu show, Ru Kiln porcelain exhibition, snacks tasting, intangible cultural heritage exhibition and local specialties and products exhibition. Through exhibitions, performances and interactive experiences, authentic and colorful culture of the Central Plains is being displayed to Hong Kong compatriots. Vice Chairman Zhao Jiancai introduced in his speech the economic and social development of Henan Province and the activities of the temple fair. He hoped that this event would bring a rich atmosphere of the Spring Festival to Hong Kong compatriots. He also announced that in order to express condolences to the victims of the traffic accident in Tai Po and reduce the damage caused by the accident, he decided to donate all the income from the sale of Henan specialties during the temple fair to the families of the victims. Secretary LAU Kong-wah expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the Mainland for bringing the rich and wonderful culture of temple fair of Henan Province to Hong Kong, and hoped that Hong Kong residents and tourists from all over the world would also feel the joyful atmosphere of reunion of Chinese traditional Spring Festival. The temple fair takes "Origin China, Hometown Henan” as its theme and consists of six major sections, including intangible cultural heritage exhibition, Kung Fu show, specialties and products exhibition, tourism and culture photography exhibition, aesthetic Henan impression show and exhibition on family affiliation of the last names. The event will last three days till February 27th.

At the invitation of the Argentina Embassy in China, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Mr. Diego Ramiro Guelar, Argentina Ambassador to China on February 9th. President Li Xiaolin said that Argentina is an important country in Latin America. China and Argentina are good friends and partners. According to the instructions made by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, CPAFFC would play a leading role in promoting people-to-people diplomacy development, exert a key role in developing public diplomacy and play a bridge role in enhancing local government cooperation between domestic and abroad. CPAFFC would keep close cooperation with Argentina Embassy in China and actively promote to establish local government exchange and cooperation mechanism between China and Argentina. Ambassador Diego Ramiro Guelar expressed his love for China and said that China’s peaceful development had made active contributions to the world. He hoped that the Argentina Embassy in China would like to cooperate with CPAFFC and promote the exchanges in the fields of local government and humanity and culture of the two countries. Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director-General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC, attended the meeting.