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President Yang Wanming’s Op-Ed in People’s Daily
2024-10-14
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Forging Ahead to Deepen People-to-People Friendship and Promote the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

Yang Wanming, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)

On October 11, the China International Friendship Conference and the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) were held in Beijing. President Xi Jinping met with the foreign guests attending the event and delivered an important speech, emphasizing the crucial role of people-to-people friendship in promoting world peace and development. He profoundly elaborated on China’s proposal for leveraging the unique role of people-to-people diplomacy under new circumstances, advocating for the spirit of “Shared Prosperity and Solidarity on a Global Scale”, the principle of mutual benefit, and an attitude of openness and inclusiveness to jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, attended the commemorative conference and welcome banquet, respectively, and delivered speeches. Over 300 international friends from nearly 100 countries and regions participated in the event, engaging in discussions under the theme of “Deepening People-to-People Friendship and Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”, which fostered meaningful exchanges and consolidated wisdom and strength to build a better world through people-to-people cooperation.

In his important speech, President Xi emphasized that people-to-people friendship is the foundation for stable and enduring international relations, the inexhaustible driving force for promoting world peace and development, and the basic prerequisite for achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. People-to-people diplomacy serves as the bedrock for strengthening people’s friendship and promoting the development of national relations. Over the past 70 years, the CPAFFC, as a national people’s organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy, has adhered to the principles of “Friendship, Cooperation, Peace, and Development”. It has endeavored to cultivate people-to-people ties, build bridges to enhance national relations, and facilitate international cooperation, consistently walking alongside the people, the nation, and the world.

Seventy years of unwavering commitment to peace and development. From its early days, when it played the unique role of “civilian-led diplomacy, promoting official ties through people-to-people contacts”, to the celebrated success stories of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” and “Ballet Diplomacy”, the CPAFFC has actively contributed to the nation’s diplomatic efforts. During the reform and opening-up period, it embraced the era’s themes of peace and development, vigorously promoting exchanges between Chinese and international communities. In the new era, it has facilitated comprehensive, multi-level, and cross-sectoral people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The CPAFFC continues to serve as a main conduit for people-to-people diplomacy, committed to the pursuit of global peace and development.

Seventy years of upholding original aspirations, building international friendships. The CPAFFC has never forgotten its old friends while continuously making new ones. It has established friendly exchanges and cooperative relationships with over 400 organizations and institutions across more than 150 countries and regions, fostering more than 3,000 sister city (province/state) partnerships between China and over 140 countries and regions, thereby building a global network of friends and partners spanning five continents. The association has tirelessly worked to enhance people-to-people ties and support national relations, reinforcing the friendship between China and countries worldwide.

Seventy years of practical cooperation, driving concrete results. The CPAFFC adheres to a people-centered approach, mobilizing resources from international sister cities, multinational corporations, and friendly organizations to build mechanisms for local and civil exchanges between China and foreign countries. It has promoted pragmatic cooperation in various sectors, including trade, education, science and technology, culture, ecology, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and human resource training. Additionally, it has played a proactive role in international cooperation to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, striving to ensure that the fruits of development benefit people worldwide.

Seventy years of dedicated effort, promoting connectivity between peoples. Focusing on the general public, grassroots communities, and the future, the CPAFFC has employed diverse artistic forms, including music, dance, drama, and acrobatics, to introduce Chinese culture to the world, fostering cultural exchange and mutual learning. It has also organized popular events such as food festivals, dragon boat races, summer camps, and grand gatherings to boost public participation and engagement. By actively promoting exchanges between Chinese and foreign youths, the CPAFFC seeks to ensure the continuity of the noble cause of people-to-people friendship, bringing people closer and fostering mutual understanding across borders.

The 70-year history of the CPAFFC vividly demonstrates the powerful role of people-to-people friendship in promoting global peace and development, and the significant position of people-to-people diplomacy in the framework of overall national diplomacy. At present, the world is experiencing unprecedented changes, transformations of the times, and shifts in history. However, the interconnectedness of countries’ interests and the shared destiny of humankind remain unchanged. People across the world still yearn for peace, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes. President Xi has emphasized that the people are the creators of history, and building a community with a shared future for mankind represents the future of all people across the globe. We will continue to join hands with friends worldwide, aligning our efforts with the interests of all and the hearts of the people, advancing the great cause of people-to-people friendship towards the noble goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

- As we move forward, we will work with friends from all nations to build more bridges for people-to-people exchanges, leveraging the channels of friendly organizations, maintaining ties with old friends, and making new ones. This will enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of China and other countries, further solidifying the social and public foundation of China’s international friendships.

- As we move forward, we will work with friends from all nations to build more bridges for pragmatic cooperation, fully leveraging the cooperative platforms of international sister cities, and mobilizing resources and strengths from various sectors both domestically and internationally. We will continuously innovate cooperation methods, expand areas of collaboration, and improve effectiveness, ensuring that local and sister city partnerships deliver greater benefits to people around the world.

- As we move forward, we will work with friends from all nations to build more bridges for cultural exchanges, fully utilizing culture as a conduit for communication and a bond of friendship. We will promote diverse, in-depth, and multi-dimensional cultural exchanges to foster mutual understanding and resonance between peoples, enhancing connectivity between peoples.

- As we move forward, we will work with friends from all nations to build more youth-friendly bridges, fully recognizing the foundational and long-term role that youth engagement plays in developing relations between nations. We will invite more foreign youths to visit China and encourage more Chinese youths to explore the world, striving to nurture the next generation of future leaders for the cause of people-to-people friendship.

“A partnership forged with the right approach defies distance”. We firmly believe that as long as people treat each other with sincerity and connect heart-to-heart, we will forge a path of shared progress, mutual understanding, and win-win cooperation. Together, we will stride towards a brighter future, building a community with a shared future for mankind.