On November 27, 2024, Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Marco Bettin, Secretary General of the Italy China Council Foundation (ICCF), and his delegation at the CPAFFC.Both sides expressed positive views on the state of China-Italy relations and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close contact to further promote exchanges and cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, culture, subnational exchanges, and youth engagement. They emphasized the importance of leveraging non-governmental efforts to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of China and Italy, contributing to the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.Zong Linhong, Deputy Director-General of the CPAFFC Department of European and Asian Affairs, attended the meeting.

On November 25, Yuan Mindao, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), welcomed a 75-member delegation from Japan's Kansai business community at the CPAFFC.Yuan Mindao expressed his warm welcome to the large delegation, marking their first visit to China in 12 years. He thanked the Kansai economic community for its longstanding dedication to China-Japan friendship, its active participation in China's reform and opening up process, and its valuable contributions to fostering exchanges and practical cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, and people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan. He also acknowledged their role in promoting the continuous improvement and development of China-Japan relations.Yuan highlighted that President Xi Jinping recently met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, the capital of Peru. During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed the all-round promotion of China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit and will work together to build a constructive and stable relationship that meets the requirements of the new era, thus charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. Yuan further stated that the CPAFFC and the China-Japan Friendship Association are eager to collaborate with people of insight from all sectors of society in Japan, including the Kansai economic community, to vigorously promote friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the subnational exchanges, economic, trade, and cultural fields, and contribute to the steady and sustained growth of China-Japan relations. Yuan concluded by wishing great success to Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai.Yoshiyuki Miyabe, deputy head of the delegation and Representative Director of the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives, along with other delegation members, also delivered remarks. They expressed gratitude to the CPAFFC for its pivotal role in facilitating non-governmental exchanges and cooperation between Japan and China over the years. They stressed that Japan and China are important and inseparable neighbors, particularly in today's complex and challenging international environment. Strengthening economic and trade cooperation and deepening people-to-people exchanges, they noted, are more important than ever. The delegation expressed their willingness to take this visit and Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai as opportunities to enhance exchanges and deepen cooperation with China, contributing to the sustainable development of Japan-China relations.

On November 17, 2024, the Global Multinational Corporations Summit—The 14th International Roundtable of Multinational Corporations' Leaders was held in Beijing. Shen Xin, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended the parallel forum of the China-Australia Business Leaders Roundtable and delivered a keynote speech.In his speech, Shen Xin highlighted the significance of 2024, making the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's state visit to Australia and the establishment of the China–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Over the past decade, China-Australia economic and trade relations have seen ups and downs, but their mutually beneficial nature has remained unchanged. Shen pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1972, China and Australia have formed more than 100 pairs of sister provinces, states, and cities. He specifically cited Guangdong and New South Wales, the first pair of sister province/state between the two nations, which continues to maintain active contact and hold joint economic meetings. He remarked that while it is often said that business should focus solely on business, experience has shown that the sound and stable development of China-Australia economic and trade relations relies heavily on the friendship between the two peoples and local support. He expressed hope that, as bilateral economic and trade cooperation advances, the Chinese and Australian business communities will act as champions of friendship, helping strengthen public support for China-Australia relations.The Global Multinational Corporations Summit—The 14th International Roundtable of Multinational Corporations' Leaders was co-hosted by the China International Council for the Promotion of Multinational Corporations and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. The event featured speeches delivered in person or via video link by notable figures, including Wang Yiming, former Deputy Director of the Development Research Center of the State Council; Xu Guanghong, Deputy General Manager of COFCO Corporation; Philip Ruddock, former Federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs of Australia; Warwick Smith, former Federal Minister for Sport of Australia; and Vaughn Barber, Chair of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce.

On November 12, the 2024 Sichuan International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Development Conference opened in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan Province. Yan Dong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.In his address, Yan Dong emphasized that international friendship cities cooperation serves as a key channel for enhancing subnational exchanges and fostering people-to-people ties between China and other countries. He described it as an important platform for Chinese localities to engage with the wider world and a significant mechanism for promoting international industrial cooperation, mutual benefit, and shared development. Yan highlighted Sichuan's achievements in recent years, noting that the province has fully leveraged its international sister-city resources to achieve remarkable results in personnel exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, cultural interactions, and youth engagement. He affirmed that these efforts have played a pivotal role in advancing Sichuan's high-quality development. Yan Dong further stated that the CPAFFC is committed to working with Sichuan to build more bridges for nongovernmental exchanges, pragmatic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and youth friendship. This joint effort, he noted, will make greater contributions to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and foreign peoples, facilitate state-to-state relations, strengthen practical partnerships between Chinese and foreign local governments, and support the collective goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.Hosted by the People's Government of Sichuan Province and organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province, the conference was attended by nearly 300 Chinese and international guests from 30 countries.

From November 4 to 8, Yuan Mindao, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led a China-Japan friendship delegation on a visit to Japan. During the visit, Yuan met with officials from Tokushima Prefecture and representatives from related organizations, including the Iskra Industry Co., Ltd., the Shorinji Kempo Group, the Japan Association for Study of Traditional Chinese Medicines, and the Kouzan Fine-Arts Company. The discussions focused on strengthening China-Japan people-to-people exchanges and enhancing subnational exchanges and cooperation. While in Tokyo, the delegation attended a symposium regarding a visit by the Iskra Industry Co., Ltd. to China, which included learning about China's revolutionary war and its historical significance.Yuan Mindao emphasized that the foundation of China-Japan friendship lies with the people. He noted that, last month, President Xi Jinping met with foreign guests at the China International Friendship Conference and Events Marking the 70th Anniversary of the CPAFFC. During this meeting, President Xi delivered a significant speech highlighting the role of people-to-people diplomacy in fostering mutual understanding and cooperation. President Xi proposed working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Yuan reaffirmed the CPAFFC's commitment to collaborating with like-minded individuals from all sectors of society in both countries to promote friendly exchanges and practical cooperation at both nongovernmental and subnational levels. He expressed the CPAFFC's dedication to contributing to the steady and sustainable growth of China-Japan relations.Japanese participants who had attended President Xi's meeting expressed their encouragement and renewed confidence after hearing his speech. They reiterated their commitment to strengthening people-to-people exchanges and expressed a strong desire to intensify cooperation with the CPAFFC to advance the cause of China-Japan people-to-people friendship. President Chen Zhiqing and Director Yumiko Yoshida of the Iskra Industry Co., Ltd. shared that their visit to China, particularly to learn the spirit of the Long March, has profoundly impacted their employees. The experience gave their younger team members a deeper understanding of China's remarkable development achievements and inspired enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility to contribute to the Japan-China friendship. Gotoda Masazumi, Governor of Tokushima Prefecture, also expressed a strong willingness to deepen practical cooperation with its sister province, Hunan, as well as other regions in China. He highlighted areas such as economy and trade, people-to-people exchanges, and youth engagement as key fields for further collaboration.

On November 11, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a press conference to announce the upcoming China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024. Sun Xueqing, Secretary-General of the CPAFFC; Wang Yu, Full-Time Vice President of the Yunnan Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Wang Ya, Member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Kunming Municipal Committee and Deputy Mayor of Kunming; and Zhang Zhenxing, Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the CPAFFC, attended the event to provide details about the conference and answer questions from reporters. Sun Liang, Deputy Director-General of the General Office and Spokesperson of the CPAFFC, presided over the press conference.The China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024 is scheduled to take place in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, from November 18 to 19. With the theme "Common Prosperity, Shared Future", the conference will be co-hosted by the CPAFFC, the China International Friendship Cities Association (CIFCA), and the People's Government of Yunnan Province, and organized by the People's Government of Kunming Municipality. The event is expected to bring together approximately 700 participants, including representatives from more than 60 provinces and states, 120 cities, and over 60 local government or friendship organizations The conference will feature an opening ceremony, thematic forums, and four parallel forums on the following topics: namely, "Technology Innovation for Building Smart Cities", "Urban Green Development for Public Well-Being", "Reserving Urban History and Culture", and "Interconnected Transportation for Building a Shared Urban Future". Additionally, more than 20 agreements are expected to be signed, cover the establishment of new sister-city relationships and cooperation projects. Kunming Initiative will also be issued, calling on sister cities and local governments to further strengthen solidarity, deepen cooperation, and promote mutual support. To further encourage exchanges between Chinese and foreign local governments, the CPAFFC and the CIFCA have recognized 20 Chinese provinces and cities with outstanding achievements in international friendship city work, along with 40 foreign provinces, states, and cities that have actively engaged in exchanges with their Chinese counterparts. These entities will be honored with the International Friendship City Award for Outstanding Contribution and the Friendship City Award for Outstanding Partnership with China.International sister cities play a vital role in fostering people-to-people exchanges, promoting mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, and facilitating cultural and civilizational dialogue. They are instrumental in building a community with a shared future for mankind, advancing Chinese modernization, deepening cultural exchanges between China and the world, and strengthening people-to-people ties. Since China established its first international sister city partnership in 1973, 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China, along with 541 cities, have formed 3,046 sister-city and sister-province/state relationships with 602 provinces/states and 1,867 cities in 147 countries, creating a global network of friends and partners spanning five continents.The CPAFFC is a national people's organization of China specializing in people-to-people diplomacy. It is responsible for guiding, coordinating, and managing the establishment and development of international sister-city relations between China and foreign countries. Founded by the CPAFFC in 1992, the CIFCA is a national social organization dedicated to developing international sister-city partnerships, promoting practical cooperation, and serving local development, while adhering to China's independent foreign policy of peace. Provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the State government, and cities in China that have forged sister-city relationships with foreign countries are all members of the CIFCA. Over the years, the CPAFFC and the CIFCA have actively supported Chinese and foreign local governments in establishing sister city relations and fostering practical cooperation in areas such as economy, science and technology, culture, education, and youth exchanges. These efforts have played a significant role in supporting China's overall diplomacy and advancing local socioeconomic development.The China International Friendship Cities Conference is China's largest and highest-level institutional event on sister cities. Jointly initiated by the CPAFFC and the CIFCA in 2008, the conference is held biennially in principle.The CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, the People's Government of Yunnan Province, the CPC Kunming Municipal Committee, and the People's Government of Kunming Municipality have attached great importance to the preparation of this year's conference. A preparatory mechanism and a special task force have been established, with efforts focused on finalizing the program, designing the conference outcomes, defining responsibilities, generating a positive public opinion environment, and ensuring the security for the event. Preparations for the conference are progressing smoothly across all fronts.

On November 8, the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation, themed "Exchange and Mutual Learning, Close People-to-People Ties, and Mutually Beneficial Cooperation", opened in Jinhua, located in Southeast China's Zhejiang Province. Qin Boyong, Vice Chairperson of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Executive Vice Chairperson of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association (CNDCA), delivered a video address. Other distinguished attendees included Lu Shan, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province; Zhang Yangbin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); Liu Yuxi, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs; Zhu Chonglie, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jinhua Municipal Committee; Godius Walter Kahyarara, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Tanzania, and Rahmat Allah Mohamed Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union (AU) to China. The forum attracted over 400 participants from 40 countries and regions, including diplomatic envoys in China, government officials, experts, scholars, and business representatives.In his speech, Zhang Yangbin emphasized that physical distance cannot separate true friends who remain close despite being thousands of miles apart. He attributed the enduring China-Africa friendship to the exchange of diverse civilizations and friendly people-to-people exchanges. Since the start of the new era, China-Africa practical cooperation has achieved substantial progress, with exchanges across various fields becoming more dynamic than ever before. Exchanges and mutual learning in culture, education, tourism, youth, and media have flourished, further consolidating popular support for the friendship between China and African countries.Zhang Yangbin highlighted that, during the meeting with foreign guests attending the China International Friendship Conference and Events Marking the 70th Anniversary of the CPAFFC, President Xi Jinping underscored the vital role of people-to-people friendship in advancing world peace and development. President Xi also urged the CPAFFC to leverage its unique position to foster friendships between the Chinese and foreign peoples and to promote practical international cooperation. Building on this guidance, the CPAFFC will steadfastly follow President Xi's instructions and collaborate with friends from participating countries to: build more bridges for non-governmental exchanges, thereby broadening social and popular support for the China-Africa friendship; establish more pathways for practical cooperation to ensure that subnational partnerships and sister-city collaborations bring tangible benefits to African nations; strengthen people-to-people exchanges to deepen bonds, foster mutual understanding, and pool collective strengths between the Chinese and African peoples; and promote youth friendship to cultivate the next generation of leaders dedicated to the cause of China-Africa friendship. These initiatives, Zhang noted, will inject new momentum and vitality into mutually beneficial cooperation and people-to-people friendship between China and African nations. They will also contribute to the revitalization of the Global South and advance the shared goal of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

From October 29 to November 2, 2024, Yan Dong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led a delegation to Dubai, UAE, to attend the Working Meeting of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities. The visit was made at the invitation of Ilsur Metshin, Chairman of the Association and Mayor of Kazan, Russia. The meeting was attended by over 30 participants, both in person and virtually, including representatives from cities and local government organizations across nine countries (Russia, China, Brazil, India, South Africa, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Türkiye). Other participants included representatives from organizations and institutions such as the United Cities and Local Governments and the Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation (GIUI). The meeting primarily focused on the discussion of the charter of the association, organizational structure, and membership fees. It also announced the lists of the joint chairpersons and secretaries-general and confirmed that the next working meeting will be held in the spring of 2025. Brazil, as the incoming BRICS rotating presidency in 2025, will host the first general assembly of the association at an appropriate time following its establishment.Yan Dong began by extending congratulations on the successful conclusion of the 16th BRICS Summit, held recently in Kazan, Russia. He highlighted that President Xi Jinping's vision for BRICS - emphasizing peace, innovation, green development, justice, and closer people-to-people exchanges - provides valuable guidance for the further development of the BRICS mechanism. Yan emphasized that the meeting in Dubai aimed to implement the directives of the BRICS Summit, harness the collective wisdom and strength of local governments within the BRICS+ framework, strengthen solidarity among Global South nations, and promote the high-quality development of broader BRICS cooperation.Yan also underscored the significant role played by local governments and sister cities within the BRICS+ framework in fostering trust, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, and contributing to world peace and development. He expressed hope that the meeting would advance the association's development as a platform for deepened collaboration, enhanced mutual trust, and stronger partnerships among local governments in BRICS countries, emerging markets, and developing nations. He also highlighted the importance of consolidating the foundation for people-to-people friendship and jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.Ilsur Metshin briefed on Kazan's holding of the 16th BRICS Summit. He noted that the world is transitioning toward a multipolar order, with BRICS serving as a key force for global peace and development. He called for concerted efforts to further expand the BRICS+ partnerships at the city and local government levels, build and develop communication and cooperation mechanisms, strengthen mutual trust and solidarity to address global challenges together and work for a better world of peace and sustainable development.Before the meeting, Yan met with Evgeniya Lodvigova, Deputy Mayor of Kazan and the representative of the meeting host. They had an in-depth exchange of views on issues such as the association's charter and organizational structure, with CPAFFC's suggestions being put forward. During his time in Dubai, Yan also held discussions with several representatives of the participating countries. Among them were Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Region of the United Cities and Local Governments; Nicholas You, Executive Director at the GIUI; Guseva Irina Mikhailovna, Co-Chairperson of All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government; Eduardo Tadeu, Executive Director of Brazilian Association of Municipalities; Pushyamitra Bhargav, Mayor of Indore, India; Teshome Adugna, Mayor of Shaggar, Ethiopia; Dr. Saif Al Nasri, Undersecretary of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Uğur İbrahim Altay, Mayor of Konya, Türkiye. They exchanged views on strengthening contacts with each other, advancing the healthy development of the association, and deepening cooperation among local governments and friendship among the peoples under the BRICS+ framework.The BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was established in June in Kazan, Russia, with a founding declaration. China is one of the founding members, and the CPAFFC participated in drafting the declaration on behalf of the Chinese side. This meeting in Dubai marks the association's first working meeting since its establishment.

From October 27 to 30, 2024, Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led a delegation to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgaria National Association for the Belt and Road. During the visit, Jiang attended the China-Bulgaria Subnational Cooperation and Exchange Meeting and met with prominent Bulgarian figures, including Petar Stoyanov, former President of the Republic of Bulgaria; Svetlan Stoev, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria; Iskra Doumkova, Secretary-General of the Federation for Bulgarian-Chinese Friendship; Zahari Zahariev, Chairman of the Bulgaria National Association for the Belt and Road; Blagomir Kotsev, Mayor of Varna; Velin Paskov, Chairman of the Bulgarian-China Society-Varna; and Roumen Novakov, President of the "Friends of China" Association in Targovishte. Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli accompanied Jiang during the meetings.Jiang noted that Bulgaria is the second country in the world to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Over the past decades, the two countries have built a strong, traditional friendship. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, the bilateral relationship has been elevated to a strategic partnership. The mutual political trust has deepened, economic and trade cooperation has flourished, and people-to-people exchanges have become increasingly close. As a non-governmental organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy, the CPAFFC cherishes the traditional friendly relations with Bulgaria and is willing to work with people from all sectors of society in Bulgaria to strengthen exchanges, build consensus, contribute more non-governmental and local strength to the development of China-Bulgaria relations, and jointly write a new chapter of mutually beneficial cooperation.Bulgarian representatives praised the remarkable progress in China-Bulgaria relations over the 75 years since diplomatic ties were established in 1949. They emphasized the critical role of people-to-people exchanges and subnational cooperation in advancing the bilateral relations and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the CPAFFC to deepen exchanges and cooperation across all sectors, injecting fresh momentum into the continuous development of the China-Bulgaria strategic partnership.In his speech at the China-Bulgaria subnational cooperation and exchange meeting, Jiang pointed out that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has made systematic deployments for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization and that China's development will provide a broader space for China-Bulgaria cooperation. Sub-national exchanges, an integral part of China-Bulgaria cooperation, provide strong support for the development of bilateral relations. Jiang encouraged the localities of the two countries to work together to bolster nongovernmental exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, deepen practical cooperation and realize common development, reinforce people-to-people exchanges and foster closer people-to-people ties, and promote friendship among youth, paving the way for a bright future.The exchange meeting was attended by representatives of local governments and businesspeople from 17 provinces and cities in China and Bulgaria, both physically and virtually. Participants shared insights into their respective development priorities and unique strengths, engaging in in-depth discussions on aligning development strategies and expanding cooperation in all fields.

From October 30 to November 2, 2024, Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led a delegation to the United Kingdom at the invitation of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU). During the visit, Jiang met with Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London; Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC); Peter Burnett OBE BBS, Chief Executive of the CBBC; Angus Robertson, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture; Lezley Marion Cameron, Depute Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh; and Paul Dennett, Deputy Mayor for Greater Manchester. Jiang also held working meetings with leaders of organizations such as the SACU, the Scotland-China Association (SCA), and the Manchester China Forum, engaging in in-depth discussions on strengthening people-to-people friendship and subnational cooperation between China and the UK. Related activities were also attended by Zhang Biao, Chinese Consul General in Edinburgh, and Tang Rui, Chinese Consul General in Manchester.Jiang highlighted that both China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies. Developing stable and mutually beneficial relations aligns with the interests of both countries and their peoples and contributes to global peace and development. In August, President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during which they reached important consensus on expanding engagement and deepening cooperation, thereby enhancing confidence in bilateral cooperation. Recently, exchanges at various levels between China and the UK have maintained a positive momentum. Jiang noted that as China remains committed to deepening reforms, advancing Chinese modernization, pursuing high-quality development, and promoting high-standard opening up, more opportunities will emerge for China-UK relations.Jiang expressed appreciation for the significant contributions made by British friendship organizations in fostering mutual understanding between the two peoples. He commended the positive attitude of the cities visited toward cooperation with China. Jiang emphasized that people-to-people exchanges and subnational cooperation are key components of China-UK relations. The CPAFFC is ready to work with people from all walks of life in the UK to build stronger bridges for people-to-people exchanges, practical cooperation, cultural exchange, and youth engagement, contributing local and nongovernmental efforts to the development of China-UK relations. These initiatives, Jiang noted, would be guided by the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries.The British representatives welcomed the delegation's visit and unanimously recognized the importance of the UK-China relationship. They highlighted that strengthened cooperation between the two nations is essential for advancing economic development, improving livelihoods, and addressing global challenges such as climate change. The British side acknowledged the critical role of people-to-people exchanges and subnational cooperation in fostering stronger China-UK relations. It is willing to enhance communication with the CPAFFC to facilitate bilateral cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, culture, youth, and green development, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.