The Nuremberg Politics, Economy and Culture Delegation led by former mayor of Nuremberg, Dr. Peter Schonlein and Dr. Yan Xu-Lackner, Director of Confucius-Institute Nurnberg-Erlangen came to visit China from April 18th to 26th at the CPAFFC’s invitation. On 18th, Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the CPAFFC, held a reception for the delegation and celebrated with the visiting guests the 5-year cooperation between the CPAFFC and China-Euro Cultural Forum.   The delegation from Nuremberg Metropolitan Area is composed of senior personages from political, economic and cultural circles and will then visit Xian, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen. They were expecting to comprehend China Dream and the decision of deepening reform adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Centre Committee during the visit. They would further promote cooperation with local cities and continue to expand cultural exchanges as part of the China-Europe Culture Forum cooperation framework.

At the Invitation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Friends of Walter Scheel, University Liberty of Brussels and Belgium-China Association, Vice President Hu Sishe led a 3-member CPAFFC delegation and visited France, Germany and Belgium from Mar. 24th to Apr. 2nd, 2014. Vice President Hu Sishe making a speech at the 26th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Vice President Hu Sishe meeting with participants of the 26th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe During the visit, the delegation attended the 26th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, met with Mr. Herwig Van Staa, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr. Volker Kieber, Mayor of German city Bad Krozingen, Dr. Manfred Vohrer, President of Friends of Walter Scheel, Mr. Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR, Ms. Pascale Delcomminette, Administrative General of Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Prof. Serge Jaumain, Vice-Rector for International Relations of University Liberty of Brussels, Mr. Bernard Dewit, Chairman of Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Wim De Groeve, Managing Director of Belgium-China Association, etc., and had work meetings and reached extensive consensus with organizations mentioned above on cooperation in economic, cultural, educational and other fields. Vice President Hu made a speech on exchanges and cooperation in urbanization between Chinese and European cities at the 26th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and got positive response from participants of the Congress. Hu also invited all foreign friends to attend the 2014 China International Friendship Cities Conference hosted by CIFCA in Guangzhou in November. All invitees showed great interest in the conference and asked for an official invitation letter as soon as possible. Vice President Hu Sishe meeting with Mr. Herwig Van Staa, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Vice President Hu Sishe meeting with Mr. Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR Vice President Hu Sishe presenting a souvenir to Mr. Bernard Dewit, Chairman of Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Vice President Hu Sishe introducing CIFCA work to Mr. Volker Kieber, Mayor of German city Bad Krozingen CPAFFC delegation having work meeting with Ms. Pascale Delcomminette, Administrative General of Wallonie-Bruxelles International CPAFFC delegation having work meeting with University Liberty of Brussels CPAFFC delegation having work meeting with Belgium-China Association

On February 17th, the preparatory meeting of the 2nd Forum on Poland-China Local Government Cooperation, hereinafter referred to as Poland-China Forum, is opened in Beijing. Mr. Li Jianping, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Mr.Tadeusz Chomicki, Polish Ambassador to China, co-hosted the meeting. The attendees discussed the related items of the 2nd Poland-China Forum, and reached consensus. Poland-China Forum was a cooperative project promoted by both Chinese and Polish Prime Ministers in April 2012. The 1st Poland-China Forum was held in Poland in April 2013. Organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Guangdong Provincial Government, China-EU Association, the Chinese-Polish Friendship Association, Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Polish Embassy in China and Polish Consulate General in Guangzhou, hosted by Guangdong Foreign Affairs Office, the 2nd Forum on Poland-China Local Government Cooperation will be held in Guangzhou in early June. Attendees also include Ms.Su Caifang, Deputy Director-General of Guangdong Foreign Affairs Office and Mr. Krzysztof Ciebień, Polish Consul General in Guangzhou.

On December 16, Vice President Xie Yuan met with City Administrator (Executive Deputy Mayor) Allen Lew and Deputy Mayor Victor Hoskins of Washington D.C. Vice President Xie introduced to the delegation the progress of 2014 U.S.-China Sister Cities Conference and looked forward to generous support from the D.C. government to the Conference. Xie spoke highly of the great efforts and the outstanding achievements Beijing and D.C. made for developing their sister city relations over the past years. He hoped that the two sides could continue to expand their cooperation, especially in the fields of environmental governance and traffic control. Allen Lew expressed the sincere willingness of the D.C. government to support the Conference, and they would like to arrange part of the program for the Chinese delegation. He said that D.C. government values very much the sister city relations between D.C. and Beijing, which helped a lot in promoting city-to-city exchange and cooperation, such as cooperation in trade and investment, science and technology, tourism and education.

On December 16, Vice President Xie Yuan met with CSG (Council of State Governments) delegation from the U.S. The delegation members are state senators and representatives from Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Nevada, Montana, Ohio, Georgia and Massachusetts. Vice President Xie introduced to the delegation the major work done by CPAFFC and the social and economic developments in China in recent years. The two sides also exchanged views on subnational exchanges between our two countries.

  On November 21, 2013, the Dialogue of China-East Africa Community(EAC) was held in Kampala, Capital city of Uganda. Mr. Xia Geng, Vice Governor of Shandong Province, Mr. Bing Zhigang, Vice Governor of Liaoning Province, Ms. Wang Lixia, Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province, Mr. Feng Zuoku, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr. Zhao Yali, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Mr. Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, Mr. Edward Sekandi, Vice President of Uganda, the Ministers of Local Government from EAC countries and the businessmen from China and EAC, totaling about 260 guests, attended the Dialogue.   Ugandan President, H.E. Mr. Yoweri Museveni praised the profound friendship between China and EAC established during the struggling of national independence. He said that China and Uganda have great potential in the field of mining, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure. The bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual-respect is beneficial to each other’s development and the global economy. We believe that the Dialogue will contribute more to the further promotion of bilateral cooperation partnership and the strengthening of traditional friendship. Mr. Xia Geng, Head of the Chinese Delegation and Vice Governor of Shandong Province said that China and Africa enjoy long time of profound friendship. Entering the new century, China-Africa relationship experienced all-round and fast development to form the new type of strategic partnership, which greatly promoted the exchanges and cooperation in all fields especially the local government. In August, 2012, the first Conference on China-African Local Government Cooperation was held in Beijing, which provided a good platform for the further development of local government cooperation. In the one year time after the conference, both sides held many bilateral and multilateral Governors and Mayors’ Dialogue and business exchanges, which gave good practice to the practical cooperation of China-Africa local governmental cooperation. We sincerely hope this dialogue will contribute more the to China-Africa local governmental cooperation. During the dialogue, both sides also held the Coordinators’Round Table Meeting of the Local Government Ministers, the Promotion of China’s Provinces and Cities, China-EAC Business Cooperation Forum and the Business Exhibitions. China’s provinces, cities and enterprises also signed 9 MOUs with EAC relevant departments and enterprises.  

At the invitation of CPAFFC, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee led a government and commercial delegation to visit Shanghai, Guangdong and Beijing from November 15 to 19. It is his first visit to China as Governor, and the visit is aimed at promoting contacts with Chinese local governments, and promote exchanges and cooperation in the fields such as trade and investment, agriculture, and clean energy. Governor Inslee paid visits to Governor Zhu Xiaodan of Guangdong Province, and Mayor Xu Qin of Shenzhen, and signed an MOU on the exchanges and cooperation between Washington State and Guangdong Province. In addition, Governor Inslee also attended enterprise meetings, and started initial contacts with Chinese companies in hi-tech and agriculture fields. The visit is instrumental in consolidating and strengthening practical cooperation between Washington State and Chinese provinces and cities.

Agreements of the first batch of friendship cities between China and India were officially signed on the morning of October 23rd in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The signing, achieving zero breakthrough of friendship city between China and India, was held in the presence of Premier Li Keqiang and Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India during his visit to China. On behalf of the CPAFFC, President Li Xiaolin attended the signing ceremony and welcome banquet that Premier Li Keqiang hosted for Prime Minister Singh. Signing of these agreements is an important follow-up of the achievements of Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to India in May this year, and one of the most important achievements of Prime Minister Singh’s visit to China this time. During the Press Conference after the signing, Premier Li Keqiang specially mentioned that the establishment of the first batch of friendship cities between China and India is a breakthrough of China-India city exchanges, which will strongly promote extensive exchange between people of the two countries. Prime Minister Singh indicated that the signing of friendship city agreements will effectively strengthen mutual cooperations. The first batch of China-Indian friendship cities include Beijing & Delhi, Chengdu & Bengaluru, Kunming & Kalkata. Mr. Li Shixiang, vice mayor of Beijing, Mr. Ge Honglin, mayor of Chengdu and Mr. Li Wenrong, mayor of Kunming signed the agreement on behalf of their respective cities with Mr. S. Jaishankar, Ambassador of India to China. All three mayors expressed sincere thanks to Mme. Li Xiaolin for CPAFFC’s great support and sustained efforts to promote the twinning with Indian cities. They wish to get more support from the CPAFFC and further develop close cooperations.  In order to promote the establishment of the first batch of China-India friendship cities, Mme. Li Xiaolin visited India twice within three months and gave the Indian side an extensive introduction of the significance of friendship cities in promoting local developments, which were widely appreciated by the Indian side and help them fully understood the positive role of friendship cities. The signing of the first batch of China-India friendship cities has opened a new page in serving the overall diplomacy of China and promoting local exchange with India.     

  The celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of sister state/province relationship between Hebei and Iowa were held from Oct. 20 to 22 at Muscatine, and capital city Des Moines of Iowa. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of congratulation to the celebrations. President Xi expresses warm congratulations to the 30th anniversary celebrations, and extends heartfelt thanks and best wishes to people from various sectors of the two countries who have long cared for and supported China-US subnational exchanges and the growth of the overall bilateral relations. President Xi says that subnational exchanges and cooperation are an important driver behind the growth of China-US relations. We are ready to work together with the United States to deepen existing sister state/province and city relationships and give play to the role of such mechanisms as China-US governors forum, China-US city economic cooperation conference and China-US mayors summit, so as to deepen and consolidate subnational exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.   The participants at the celebrations included Mr. Zhou Benshun, Party Secretary of CPC Hebei Provincial Committee, and Hebei delegation, CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan, Chinese Consul General at Chicago Zhao Weiping, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, Mrs. Sarah Lande and Mr. Luca Berrone who are the co-chair of the 30th anniversary celebrations committee, and others. The two sides discussed cooperation in the fields of economy, science and technology, education, and people-to-people exchanges.  Mayor DeWayne Hopkins of Muscatine hosted a welcome dinner for the Chinese delegation in the evening of Oct. 20. During the event, CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan conferred the honorary title of “Friendship Ambassador” to Mrs. Sarah Lande, to honor her efforts and contribution to the people-to-people exchanges and friendship between China and the US. From 1986 to 1998, Mrs. Lande was the president and executive director of Iowa Sister States Committee. During this period she led many delegations to China, contributed lots of energy and made concrete efforts to develop friendly relations between Iowa and China, especially with Hebei province. In addition, Vice President Xie Yuan attended the Conference on Strategic Cooperation between Iowa and Hebei, and paid visits to the Kimberley Farm, Kent corporation, Drake University, Hy-Line corporation and other institutions. Youth representatives from the two countries joined voices to sing the China-US friendship song “Lasting Memory” in Chinese language. The song was initiated by the two countries, written by CPAFFC and composed by the famous composer Professor Du Mingxin. It shows the affectionate feelings between Chinese and American people.

Mr. Kinuthia Mbugua, Governor of Nakuru County of Kenya, led a 20-people delegation consisting of Nakuru County officials and the Kenya-China Friendship Association to pay a visit to Beijing, Jinan, Xuzhou, Guangzhou and Chengdu from September 23 to 30, 2013. In Beijing, the delegation met with CPAFFC Vice President Feng Zuoku, paid a visit to CCTV and signed an agreement on cooperation with Zhongfa Group to build a resort hotel in Nakuru. In Jinan, Vice Governor Xia Geng of Shandong Province met with the delegation, raising concrete suggestions on furthering the cooperation and exchanges between Shandong Province and Nakuru County. Shandong Provincial People’s Friendship Association signed an agreement on cooperation with the Kenya-China Friendship Association. XCMG Group introduced their cooperation with Africa in heavy machinery to the delegation. In Guangdong Province, the delegation paid visits to the Department of Environmental Protection, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, getting to know China’s experiences in solid waste disposal, sewage sludge treatment, and increasing crop yields and livestock, poultry and egg production. In Chengdu, the governor paid a visit to Dongfang Electric Corporation, and signed an agreement on cooperation with the Corporation to build a solar power plant in Nakuru County.