Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in China with Mr. José Luis Falero, President of Uruguay Governors Association and Governor of Departamento de San José, and his delegation on September 29th, 2017. Vice President Xie Yuan welcomed Governor José Luis Falero to visit CPAFFC and made an introduction about the history and the main function of CPAFFC. He said that the bilateral relations had developed smoothly since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Uruguay. The exchanges of the local governments would further enrich and complete the connotation of the development of the bilateral relations. Vice President Xie Yuan also expressed that CPAFFC would continue promoting the exchanges between Chinese provinces/cities and Uruguay local governments under the assistance of Uruguay Embassy in China in future. Governor José Luis Falero thanked Vice President Xie Yuan for taking his time to meet them and expressed that China and Uruguay should take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations of the two countries in next year as an opportunity to further speed up the pace of the exchanges of the local governments. Although the land area in Uruguay is small, the policies on foreign affairs are active and open. It enjoys the reputation for agriculture, animal husbandry and pollution-free food in globe. Departamento de San José would like to develop brotherly friendship with local governments in China and to promote the exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

On Sept. 26th, Vice President Xie Yuan of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC) met with Alaska Governor Bill Walker from U.S.. Vice President Xie said that sub-national exchange and cooperation has become one of the major driving forces of China-U.S. relations. The two countries have set up 48 pairs of sister provinces/states and 215 pairs of sister cities relationship, as well as  exchange mechanisms such as China-U.S. Governors Forum, China-U.S. Subnational Legislative Cooperation Forum, China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference, etc. He hoped that Alaska will continue to tap into the potential in energy and agricultural cooperation, and promote China-U.S. friendly ties. Governor Walker said he was honored to host Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madam Peng Liyuan for their trip to Alaska this April. He expressed his gratitude to the CPAFFC for arranging his mission this time, and first lady’s trip to China in June. He would be further committed to developing mutually-beneficial cooperation between Alaska and China in the future.

Invited by Vereniging Nederland-China (VNC) and Norway China Friendship Association, Vice President Song Jingwu led CPAFFC delegation to visit the Netherlands and Norway from September 16 to 23. Song attended China Netherlands Friendship Cities Conference hosted by CPAFFC and VNC, and delivered opening and closing speeches. Delegation met with Ms. Kriens, Secretary General of Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG). Song and Kriens exchanged views on building direct cooperation contact between two organizations and promoted local government cooperation between two countries. Song visited Norway and met with KS, Mayor of Bergen and Norway China Friendship Association. During the meeting with President Helgessen of KS, both agreed to promote the friendship city ties between China and Norway, in both quality and quantity growth. The two sides exchanged views upon practical measures to boost local government cooperation, and reached consensus to sign MOU in due time.  

At the invitation of Cambodia Hefei Friendship Association, President Li Xiaolin of CPAFFC led a delegation to visit Cambodia from May 8th to 11th. During the stay in Cambodia, President Li respectively met with Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, Secretary of State, Ministry of Interior Prum Sokha, Deputy General Inspector, Ministry of Interior Iv Leang, and President Ek Sam Ol of Cambodia-China Friendship Association. She also attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of two school buildings and one library building at Ba Phnom District of Prey Veng Province. President Li said that China and Cambodia are good friends with all sincerity. China-Cambodia friendship becomes even firmer and thrives as time goes by as it was personally initiated and meticulously fostered by the older generations of Chinese leaders and King Father Norodom Sihanouk. CPAFFC will as always support result-oriented cooperation between our two countries at nongovernmental and local government level under the "Belt and Road" framework. Cambodian side said that the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia has been handed down from generation to generation. They appreciated the efforts made by CPAFFC in enhancing the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. They hoped that they would continue to strengthen our ties and promote cooperation in the future. This visit has shown China's determination to strengthen civil and local exchanges and ties with Cambodian local governmnets and friendly organizations under the "Belt and Road" framework, and deepened the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia. The visit has reached the expected result.    

Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Mr. Anibal Pereyra, Governor of Rocha Department, Uruguay on April 25th. Vice president Xie Yuan welcomed Governor Anibal Pereyra to visit CPAFFC, and made a brief introduction about CPAFFC’ s work and the conference of new term council of China-Latin America and Caribbean Friendship Association. Vice president Xie expressed that CPAFFC would like to make common efforts to strengthening the cooperation of the local governments between China and Uruguay in the fields of infrastructure, tourism, education, culture and sports. Governor Anibal Pereyra said that Rocha Department would develop the exchanges and cooperation of the local governments of the two countries, and endeavor to carry out the strategic partnership established by the two heads of State of the two countries. Mr. Fernando Lugris, Uruguay Ambassador to China, attended the meeting.

At the invitation of Josep Roig, secretary general of UCLG, the CPAFFC delegation led by Zhang Ruoning, deputy director-general of European and Eurasian affairs department attended the 2017 UCLG executive meeting and the international forum on urban violence and peaceful coexistence from April 17th to 22nd in Madrid with 300-odd delegates from the rest of world. The president of UCLG presided over the meeting where Hangzhou city won the right of hosting UCLG world executive and bureau meeting in the later half of 2017 and Huangqi, vice mayor of Zhengzhou delivered a speech. Li Changchun, the division chief of Hangzhou security department delivered a speech on the international forum on urban violence and peaceful coexistence.            

 On April 19th, the Philippines-China Mayors Dialogue, hosted by CPAFFC and sponsored by Guangdong People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries,was held in Guangzhou city. Vice President Hu Sishe of CPAFFC, Mr. Alan Cayatano, Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the Philippines, Mrs. Maria Lanni Cayatano, Chairman of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and Mayor of Taguig city attended and addressed at the dialogue. City leaders from Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Nanning, Haikou, Dezhou, Foshan, Jiangmen of China and Mayors from the cities of Zamboanga, Munoz, Malolos, Tagbilaran and Angeles of the Philippines participated in the dialogue. Vice President Hu said in his speech that the city-to-city and people-to-people diplomatic work plays an important role in enhancing the foundation of public opinion for the China-Philippines relations. CPAFFC is willing to establish the friendly and cooperative relations with LCP, promote the city-to-city exchange and cooperation thus to develop more friendship provinces or cities between the two countries. Mr. Cayatano sang a high praise on the contribution by the people-to-people exchanges for the two countries relations and hoped the cities to enhance the cooperation in economic and trade, science and technology, infrastructure, E-Government, E-Business and so on. During the dialogue, the representatives from two sides delivered speeches and held discussions on the topics of tourism and city governance respectively with the theme of “Inherit the traditional friendship” and “Enhance the pragmatic cooperation”. The participants expressed willingness to strengthen the people-to-people exchange, mutual-learning on the city’s innovative development, thus to inject vigor to the China-Philippines local government cooperation and push forward the development of bilateral relations.

The 19th Lecture Tour by Ambassadors from African Countries, which was sponsored by the CPAFFC and organized by Henan People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, was held in Zhengzhou, Henan Province on 29 March, 2017. H.E. Mrs. Winnie Chibesakunda, Ambassador of Zambia to China, H.E. Mr. Elia Kaiyamo, Ambassador of Namibia to China, Dr. Sibanda Mavis, Minister-Counsellor of Embassy of Zimbabwe in China, Mr. Negus Kebede, Minister-Counsellor of Embassy of Ethiopia in China and Mr. Thandukwazi, Counsellor of Embassy of South Africa in China, as well as officials from relevant departments of Henan Provincial Government and businessmen totaling around 200 attended the function. H.E. Mr. Xu Guang, Vice Governor of Henan Province, Mr. Han Guangming, former Deputy Secretary General of the CPAFFC, Mme. Tang Ruimin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Asian and African Affairs of the CPAFFC attended the function. Mr. Xu Guang and Mme. Tang Ruimin also addressed the lecture tour. During the function, Vice Governor Xu Guang introduced the economic and social development of Henan Province and said that the cooperation between Henan and Africa has developed rapidly in recent years, with great economic complementarity and broad prospects for cooperation. The ambassadors and diplomats elaborated on the investment environment, favorable policies and development demands of each country, and extended their warm welcome to Henan businessmen to invest in Africa. They also exchanged views with the audience and local media during the Q&A session. H.E. Mr. Wang Tie, Vice Governor of Henan Province met with the delegation during their stay in Henan. They also attended the opening ceremony of the 11th China (Henan) International Investment and Trade Fair and visited Henan Bonded Logistics Center, China Railway Engineering Equipment Group and Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone.

  Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met in Zhongnanhai with Mexican governors on March 27, 2017. Yang Jiechi spoke highly of the development of the bilateral relations. He said that the Chinese side would like to work together with the Mexican side to carry out the consensus reached by the two heads of states, to promote the exchanges in various fields between leaders at different levels, to expand the exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, local and humanity and to strengthen the coordination in dealing with the international and regional affairs, so as to promote the sustained and in-depth development of comprehensive strategic partnership of the two countries. The Mexican side expressed that strengthening the relations to China is the important diplomatic orientation for the country. The Mexican governors would like to deepen the exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side to push forward the bilateral ties and achieve greater development. CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin, Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Hongshan attended the meeting. The delegation consisted of Mr. Graco Ramírez, Governor of Morelos and Chairman of Mexico National Governors Conference (CONAGO), Mr. Francisco García, Governor of Tamaulipas, Mr. Marco Mena, Governor of Tlaxcala, and Mr. Mario Rodríguez, President of Economic Development Department of Oaxaca and Mr. Michel Carrillo, President of Economic Development Department of Pueblaand etc.. It was the first time for CONAGO to invite the governors to visit China after signing the cooperation agreement between CPAFFC and CONAGO in 2014 .

On March 24th, the ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors Dialogue 2017 was held jointly by CPAFFC and Hainan People’s Government in Boao, Hainan. Governor Liu Cigui of Hainan province and CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi attended the dialogue and delivered speeches respectively. Thirteen Governors or Mayors from Tianjin city, Hainan province, Guanghzou city, Nanning city, Guiyang city of China as well as Kampong Cham and Siem Reap provinces of Cambodia, Vientiane city and Luang Prabang province of the Laos, Penang state of Malaysia, Yangoon city of Myanmar and Palawan province of the Philippines from ASEAN member states attended the dialogue and addressed on issues of education and tourism under the main topic of “Deepening People-to-People Exchange, Advancing the Belt and Road Initiative”. Representatives from ASEAN-China Centre and the Ministry of Education of China were also present at the dialogue. A Joint Declaration was issued by the participants after the dialogue which indicated the commitment of maintaining the regional peace and development through pragmatic cooperation. The ASEAN-China Governors/Mayors Dialogue was initiated in 2015 and enlisted in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference since then.