Vice President Xie Yuan met with Mayor Mary Sue of Walnut and Mayor Manuel Lozano of Baldwin Park from Los Angeles County, California, U.S. On August 29. Both sides carried out extensive conversations on sub-national, education and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S.        

Vice President Song Jingwu visited Serbia and Slovenia from August 22 to 29 at the invitation of National Council for Coordination of Cooperation with Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China of the Republic of Serbia (NCCCRFPRC) and the Municipality of Grosuplje of Slovenia. During his visit, Mr Song had meetings with Tomislav Nikolic, the President of NCCCRFPRC, Nemanja Jevtovic, the Vice Director of the Development Agency of Serbia, Jelusic, the President of the City Council of Novi Sad, Dr. Peter Gaspersic, the Minister of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Slovenia, Igor Nobel, the Mayor of the Municipality of Piran and Peter Verlic, the Mayor of the Municipality of Grosuplje, to exchange views on how to enhance communication and cooperation of local government as well as small and medium size enterprises of the two countries.                

On August 7th, Vice President Xie Yuan met with U.S. local government officials delegation headed by Matthew Meyer, County Excutive of New Castle County, Delaware. The two sides exchanged views on furthering China-U.S. subnational exchanges and cooperation. The delegation is composed of state legislators and county officials from five U.S. states including Delaware, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota and Arizona.        

Supervisor Ron Roberts of San Diego County, California, USA, led a three-member delegation to the CPAFFC on May 2, 2018. Deputy Director-General Hao Zhongwei of American and Oceanian Affairs briefed the delegation about the CPAFFC and its work in strengthening China-U.S. sub-national cooperation. He stressed the importance of cultural exchanges in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries. Supervisor Roberts expressed his wishes to work more closely with the CPAFFC, further promoting San Diego County’s cooperation with China in economics, science and technology, education and culture.       Photographed by the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs

Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr. Daniel Martínez, Mayor of Montevideo, the capital of  Uruguay, on the invitation of CPAFFC, on May, 2nd. Vice President Lin Yi welcomed Mayor Daniel Martínez to visit CPAFFC on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Uruguay. She said that the two countries have a broad space to cooperate in the fields of the import and export of agricultural products, smart city, talent exchange and football fields. Mme. Lin Yi also hoped that Mayor Daniel Martinez could discuss actively with the relevant local governments in China on how to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation of the two countries, so as to bring about more mutual benefit and win-win pragmatic projects. Mayor Daniel Martínez said that the delegation from CPAFFC visited Montevideo in April this year was of active significance. He hoped that Montevideo could keep close cooperation with CPAFFC in future and further promote the exchanges of the two countries in the fields of the economy, trade, science and technology as well as local governments. Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director-General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Fernando Lugris, Uruguay Ambassador to China, attended the meeting.       Photographed by Hua Jiaguang

On April 9th, the ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors Dialogue 2018 was held jointly by CPAFFC and Hainan People’s Government in Boao, Hainan. Governor Shen Xiaoming of Hainan province and CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi attended the dialogue and delivered speeches respectively. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. Governors or Mayors from Hainan province, Tianjin city, Guanghzou city of China, Preah Sihanouk province of Cambodia, Palawan province of the Philippines, Chiang Mai and Phuket provinces of Thailand as well as the business representatives from China Association of National Shipbuilding Industry, Carnival Corporation&PLC, MSC Cruises, Malaysia Cruise Industry Association attended the dialogue and addressed on issues of cruise tourism cooperation, promoting cruise port construction and launching cruise routes under the main topic of “Cruise Tourism Cooperation along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road". The participants also signed the Joint Initiative of the ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors Dialogue 2018. The ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors Dialogue was initiated in 2015 and enlisted in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference since then.

On December 7, Vice President Xie Yuan met with T.H.Sylvester Turner,Mayor of Houston in Beijing.  Vice President Xie extended warm welcome to Mayor Turner on behalf of CPAFFC and introduced the function of the association, as well as the friendly exchanges it carried out with American partnerships. He spoke highly of the leadership and determination of Mayor Turner when leading Houston people to combat Hurricane Harvey and appreciated his vigorous support in promoting Houston-China relationship. He also expressed his hope to conduct more concrete cooperation between Houston and the local governments of China. Mayor Turner thanked CPAFFC for the invitation and hospitality. He said that the 72-member international trade mission he led this time was the biggest one in Houston history. These members came from all walks of life, which fully demonstrated the willingness and determination of Houston to promote cooperation with China. He said that Houston took the lead in energy, health care, aeronautics and technologies worldwide, and  hoped to deepen cooperation with China in the above-mentioned areas. Wang Yu, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Houston, Hao Zhongwei, Deputy Director General of American and Oceanion Department and Li Luxia,Vice Chairwoman of CCPIT Beijing Sub-Council also attended the meeting. Vice President Xie Yuan and Mayor Turner attended Beijing-Houston Trade&investment Forum hosted by CPAFFC after the meeting.

Mr. Wang Qinmin, Vice Chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), met in the Great Hall of the People with Mme. Maria Vidal, Governor of Buenos Aires, Argentina at the invitation of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) on December, 4th. Vice Chairman Wang Qinmin said that over the past 45 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina, the two countries had been adhering to the principle of mutual respect, treatment each other as equal and win-win cooperation, so as to promote the stable and rapid development of the bilateral relations. The results of the exchanges and cooperation of the two countries in various fields achieved fruitful results, which are beneficial to the two peoples. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentina President Mauricio Macri held two meetings recently and reached important consensuses on strengthening the exchanges and cooperation between the countries in various fields, which pointed out the direction for China-Argentina relations. The exchanges and cooperation between the two local governments in the fields of trade, investment, humanity and culture have broad prospects with the development of the bilateral relations increasingly. CPAFFC would like to strengthen the exchanges and coordination with Buenos Aires to commonly push the local government exchanges and cooperation of the two countries. Governor Maria Vidal of Buenos Aires thanked Vice Chairman Wang Qinmin for meeting them cordially. She expressed, the relations of the two countries are in the best period of the development in history. Argentina has the same goals with China in the sectors of poverty reduction, environmental protection and etc., and has the experience to share with China. As the largest province in Argentina, Buenos Aires will also cooperate with the relevant local governments in China to promote more cities of both sides to establish friendly cities and will develop pragmatic cooperation with the Chinese side in the fields of energy, environmental protection, education, sports, culture, food security and etc.. Mr. Hu Sishe, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr. Diego Guelar, Argentina Ambassador to China and others, attended the meeting.

On December 4th, Mr. Hu Sishe, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mme. Maria Vidal, Governor of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and her delegation at the invitation of CPAFFC. Vice President Hu Sishe made an introduction about China’s reform and opening up, international cooperation situation and the main duties of CPAFFC, and pointed out that the local government exchanges and cooperation of the two countries would make active contributions to deepening the friendship of the two peoples. He hoped that both sides could explore the construction of the exchange and cooperation mechanism in the fields of economics, trade, culture and etc., and invited the delegation dispatched from Buenos Aires to attend the 2nd China-Latin Local Governments Cooperation Forum held by CPAFFC in next year. Governor Maria Vidal thanked CPAFFC for invitation and reception, and stressed the economic and social development situation in Argentina and in Buenos Aires. She hoped to continue keeping close contact with CPAFFC and make common efforts to establish normal exchange mechanism and actively promote the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the sectors of international friendly cities, economics, trade, tourism, culture, education and etc..  After meeting, under the witness of Vice President Hu Sishe and Governor Maria Vidal, the representatives of the both parties signed 《Government Cooperation Memorandum between CPAFFC and Buenos Aires, Argentina》.  Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director-General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Diego Guelar, Argentinian Ambassador to China, attended the meeting.  

Vice President Mr Song Jingwu led a CPAFFC delegation to visit Italy and San Marino from October 25th to 31st at the invitation of Italy-China Link Association and San Marino-China Friendship Association. During their visit, delegates attended China-Italy local government cooperation dialogue jointly held by CPAFFC and Italy-China Link Association. Vice President Song gave a keynote speech at the opening ceremony, introducing the work that CPAFFC had done in local government cooperation, the progress of the “Belt and Road” Initiative and the successful opening of the 19th National Congress of CPC. The Chinese consul-general in Milan Mr Song Xuefeng, Vice President of Lombardia Mr Fabrizio Sala, Chinese Affairs Adviser of Italian Prime Minister Office Carlo Capria as well as representatives from 15 Chinese provinces and municipalities and Italian representatives attended the meeting. Vice President Song presented the “Outstanding Contribution to China-Italy Friendship” award to President of Italy-China Link Association, Ms Maria Moreni.  In San Marino, delegates attended the opening ceremony of San Marino-China Culture and Art Museum and gave souvenirs to the museum on behalf of CPAFFC. The Captain Regent of San Marino met with Mr Song Jingwu and other delegates.