At the invitation of CPAFFC, the delegation of Asian-African Issues Research Association of Japanese Liberal Democratic Party headed by President Takeshi Noda, visited Beijing from June 28 to June 30. On June 29, Mr. Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, met with the delegation. Chairman Yu Zhengsheng said, the Chinese government has a determined policy in developing friendship with Japan. In order to realize the stable development of China-Japan relations, the two countries should abide by the following principals: first, to properly deal with the issues of history, which was the foundation of China-Japan relations; second, to enhance people-to-people friendship and hold more friendly exchanges activities; third, to follow the China-Japan Four Political Documents, enhancing mutual trust and cooperating with each other but not posing a threat to each other; fourth, to properly handle with disputes, avoiding misunderstanding and misjudgment. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression & the World Anti-Fascist War. Yu expected Japan to seize the opportunity to properly deal with the relevant problems and make efforts to improve the relationship with China. President Takeshi Noda said, the Four Political Documents are the foundation of China-Japan relations. Japan should take the chance of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two to reflect on the past and look into the future. He also expected the both sides to make efforts to improve and develop China-Japan relations

Organized by CPAFFC, the China Central Asia Friendship Association(CCAFA) and Embassy of Kazakhstan in the Peoples Republic of China, the Round table was held in Beijing on June 26, 2015. Mr Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr Yu Hongjun, Former Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; Ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and other 90 guests from all fields attended the Round table.

On June 26th, the CPAFFC conferred the honorary title of “Friendship Ambassador” on Mr. Friis Arne Petersen, Danish Ambassador to China. Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC, and Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao presented the medal and certificate to Ambassador Petersen . Vice President Song Jingwu praised Ambassador Petersen’s long-term efforts in enhancing the bilateral relations, people-to-people friendship and local cooperation, and expressed the hope for him to continue dedicating to the friendship between the two peoples as “Friendship Ambassador” after his term, and as a friend of the Chinese people, continue introducing China to the world, and enhancing the world’s knowledge and understanding of China. Vice Minister Wang Chao spoke highly of Ambassador Petersen’s contribution to the historicl breakthrough in areas including high-level visits, bilateral trade and economy, cultural exchanges as well as diplomatic cooperation between China and Denmark during his term, and hoped that the Ambassador will further contribute to the China-Denmark and China-EU friendship and practical cooperation in his new post. Ambassador Petersen said in his address that he felt honored by receiving the title and regarded it not only as the Chinese government and people’s praise on his work but a reflection of the good relations between Denmark and China. He said that for the past 25 years, he has been following closely on China’s development and has gained a deeper understanding of China through contacts with the Chinese people from various fields during his term as the Ambassador to China. He is full of confidence of China’s future and hopes to return to China and do more for the exchanges and cooperation with China.

Madame Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress met with Mrs. Maya Hanoomanjee,  Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius and Honorary President of Mauritian-Chinese People’s Friendship Association in the Great Hall of the People on 26th, June. Vice President of CPAFFC, Madame Lin Yi attended the meeting.   Madame Shen said that China and Mauritius enjoy profound traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, China and Mauritius have been adhereing to the principle of sincerity, friendship, equality and mutual benefits, and bilateral friendly cooperation has seen sustainable and rapid development. Currently, China is striving to fulfill the Chinese dream and Two Centenary Goals, namely, to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2021 and to turn China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious by 2049. Mauritius has also shaped the ambitious goal of achieving the Second Economic Miracle. China is ready to join efforts with Mauritius to maintain close high-level exchanges and push forward practical cooperation in various areas, so as to promote China-Mauritius friendly cooperation for sound and in-depth development and jointly achieve our own goals. Mrs. Hanoomanjee thanked Madame Shen for taking the time to meet her. She said that recent years have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful cooperation in all fields between Mauritius and China. Mauritius will further strengthen ties with China and enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, so as to achieve win-win results. She mentioned that, as the first female speaker in the history of Mauritius, co-founder of the National Commission for Women in Mauritius, as well as honorary president of Mauritian-Chinese People’s Friendship Association, is willing to promote communication and cooperation in parliament, friendly groups and women between Mauritius and China. 

On June 24, 2015, Vice President Xie Yuan, leading the CPAFFC delegation, met with Lieutenant Governor of Guam Ray Tenorio. Vice President Xie introduced the history of CPAFFC, and emphasized that CPAFFC stays committed to promoting people-to-people exchanges in all areas, especially local government exchanges between China and the U.S. We received a great number of U.S. governors and lieutenant governors to visit China for the past years, initiated and co-hosted China-U.S. Governors Forum together with National Governors Association, and facilitated the establishment of 243 pairs of sister states/provinces or sister cities between our two countries. Xie asked Lieutenant Governor Tenorio to pass on the warm invitation from CPAFFC to Governor Calvo to attend the 3rd China-U.S. Governors Forum which will be held in the U.S. later this year, and to lead a delegation to visit China in October. CPAFFC will make every effort to help Guam to establish sister state/province or sister city relationship with China. Lieutenant Governor Tenorio extended warm welcome to CPAFFC delegation, and congratulated CPAFFC for its achievements on and contribution to promoting China-US people-to-people exchanges since its establishment over 60 years ago. As Guam doesn’t have any sister city relationship with China, he wished to further discuss with CPAFFC on the potential twinning. Tenorio welcomed more Chinese enterprises to invest in Guam so as to further enhance the mutual exchange and cooperation in various areas such as economy and trade and culture.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) launched “For Justice and Peace-Photo Exhibition on China-US cooperation in World War II”at the Chinese Embassy in the United States on June 24, 2015. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong, who was co-chairing the Sixth Annual China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange in Washington, DC, honored the event. The event has also drawn nearly 300 Chinese and American guests from different walks of life including Chinese Minister Yuan Guiren of Education , Minister Li Bin of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Vice Minister Wang Zhigang of Science and Technology, Ambassador Cui Tiankai, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Congressman Rick Larsen, former US Secretary of Defense William Cohen, former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Anna Chenault and US veteran pilots Jay Vinyard，Jack Goodrich, Bob Lee, Clell H. Mckinney and Clifford R. Long. In company of CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin and Ambassador Cui Tiankai, Vice Premier Liu Yandong and other guests toured the exhibition.  In her speech, Vice Premier Liu referred to the exhibition as a precious account of those uncommon years during which Chinese and American peoples fought shoulder by shoulder and endured hardships and difficulties. The memories of those heroes who gave their lives to the justice and peace are of far-reaching significance to the people living today. She remarked that more than 70 years ago when China was the main battlefield of the Asia, Chinese people were the first to fight against the fascism. The war against Japanese aggression incurred huge price and lasted longer than any other anti-fascist wars at the same time. Chinese people made the notable contribution to the final victory of the world’s anti-fascist war and won the respect from all peoples around the world who love peace. More than 70 years ago, with passion and justice, a group of young American pilots came to China and fought with Chinese people building up a new great wall with blood and flesh against Japanese invaders. Profound friendship was forged during the course of this life-or-death fight. Remembering the history is to open up better future. In the new era when the countries in the world are getting increasingly interconnected, there’s no excuse for China and the US not to continue to carry forward the concept of friendship and mutual support, uphold the spirit of peace and justice, and further deepen the people-to-people exchange. We need to make unremitting efforts for the better future of China-US  major-country relationship and the world at large.   The photo exhibition “For Justice and Peace” is especially presented by the CPAFFC for the 70th anniversary of World Anti-Fascist war and Chinese People’s war against Japanese aggression. The 94 historic photos on display are a vivid testament to the contributions by China and the US in the anti-fascist war as well as to the profound friendship cemented between the two peoples during the war that has been carried down even to today. The exhibition is planned to tour in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and some other places in the US later this year.          

  On 23th of June, Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, met with Mr. William Woo, Brazilian Federal Congressman, Secretary General of Brazil-China Friendship Group in Brazilian Senate, and President of Brazil-China Friendship Association. Mr. Ji extended his warm welcome to Mr. Woo for his visit to CPAFFC and expressed his willingness to strengthen the communication with Brazilian National Congress, as well as Brazil China Friendship Association. Moreover, Mr. Ji invited Mr. Woo to lead a delegation to participate the 5th Friendship Forum between China and Latin-America and the Caribbean countries, which will be held in Hangzhou, September, 2015. Mr. Woo expressed his gratitude to Mr. Ji for the encounter and briefed the general work of Brazil-China Friendship Association in recent two years. He hoped to work with CPAFFC to promote China-Brazil cooperation in different areas.

  According to the “General Agreement Between the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Podar Enterprise” signed during President Li Xiaolin’s visit to India last September, a 15-member Youth Delegation dispatched by the Podar Enterprise paid a friendship visit to Beijing and Shanghai between 9th and 19th June at the invitation of our association. During its stay in China, the delegation visited the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, the Headquarters of Confucius Institute, Chinese Academy of Governance, Beijing Urban Planning and Exhibition Hall, Shijia Hutong Museum, Shanghai History Museum, Shanghai International Fashion Center, as well as companies,such as the Founder Group and the Hanergy Holding Group Ltd.. These visits helped them learn more about traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese characters, Chinese way of governance, corporate culture of China’s university-enterprise and private enterprise, and deepened their understanding and good feelings about China.   The delegation stayed on the campus of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), and was accompanied by USST students throughout their Shanghai visit. Various activities like lessons on Chinese language, lectures on Chinese economy, practicing Baduanjin (traditional Chinese healthy exercise), learning Chinese calligraphy, Chinese knots-making and paper cutting, brought Chinese culture closer to Indian youth. The friendly exchange was highlighted by  Indian students’ brief introduction and demonstration of Indian dance and yoga to Chinese students. Mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and Indian university students have been furthered through close association and various communication activities during the 6-day visit.  

The 2015 China-Europe Culture Forum: Special Exchange Exhibition of China-Europe Papermaking and Printing Cultures, jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Nurnberg-Erlangen Confucius Institute, the Nurnberg Museum of Industrial Culture, Hangzhou Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, will be open to public from June 18 to October11 at the Nurnberg Museum of Industrial Culture. Hu Sishe, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Zhang Peng, Deputy Director-General of the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Dr. Peter Schonlein, former Mayor of Nurnberg, Matthias Murko, Curator of the Museum of Industrial Culture, and Dr. Yan Xu-Lackner, Director of the Nurnberg-Erlangen Confucius Institute, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition, together with about 100 participants including representatives of the Nurnberg city government and council, personages of the political, business and cultural circles, citizens and students interested in Chinese culture, as well as journalists, who also visited the exhibition after the ceremony.   In his speech at the opening ceremony, Vice President Hu Sishe said, papermaking and printing technologies are the two important inventions out of the four Chinese ancient innovations, whereas Germany is known for its modern printing industry. China and Germany both are great contributors in the history of papermaking and printing development of human civilization. This year’s exhibition will present to European audience the long history of Chinese papermaking and printing and their fusion and rejuvenation in modern context, as a part of cultural dialogue between West and East, in Nurnberg, on modern printing and publication.Over the years, the China-Europe Culture Forum has committed to further mutual understanding between the two sides and promote interactions and cooperation among local governments and various walks of life, which all proved to be fruitful. With the continuous development of the friendly relations between China and Germany, the two sides will keep on exploring new fields and mechanisms to expand and deepen the content of China-Europe Culture Forum, so as to make new contribution to consolidating and enhancing people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and Germany.   Dr. Peter Schonlein said in his speech, like an old German saying, which goes “not a single piece of paper can be inserted in between the two”, as a metaphor to those that have very much in common, Germany and China share much more in common than their differences. Especially, the two countries actively work to cooperate in arts, culture, eduction and academic researches, and, with increased exchanges and deepened friendship, has reached better mutual understanding and trust and profound respect to each others’s cultural heritage and achievement.   The 2015 China-Europe Culture Forum: Special Exchange Exhibition of China-Europe Papermaking and Printing Cultures also brings craftsmen of the renowned Hangzhou Shizhuzhai Print Art Company and the Huabaozhai Print Art Company to give on-site demonstration of block printing and traditional Chinese papermaking, which draws the attention of many visitors who admire and experience the Chinese technology. The delegation also met with Dr. Peter Schonlein, former Mayor of Nurnberg, and Christine Vogel, Deputy Mayor of Nurnberg, and had discussions with managers of the Landskron-Schneidzik Gallery and curator of Nurnberg Municipal Liberary, on issues of sustainable development of cooperation projects.    

The 14th Lecture Tour by African Ambassadors, sponsored by the CPAFFC and organized by Jiangxi Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, was held in Nanchang, capital city of Jiangxi Province on 16 June, 2015. H.E. Michael Kinyanjui, Ambassador of Kenya, H.E. Mr. Ringo F. Abed, Ambassador of Namibia, H.E. Getrude Kasuba Mwape, Ambassador of Zambia, H.E. Horace Ankrah, Deputy head of mission of Ghana, Mr. Afework Shimelis Legesse, Minister Counselorof Embassy of Ethiopia and the officials from relevant department of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government and the businessmen totaling about 200 guests attended the function. During the function, the ambassadors and diplomats introduced the overview of investment of their countries, expressed their hopes to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with China especially with Jiangxi and extended their warm welcome of Chinese businessmen to invest in Africa. Mr. Zhou Pingjian, Deputy Director-General of African Department of Foreign Affairs Ministry introduced the China-Africa cooperation. On 15 June, Mr. Qiang Wei, Secretary of Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the CPC met with the delegation. Qiang said that the cooperation between Jiangxi and the five African countries had developed quickly, investment amount had increased year by year, and the cooperation potential was large. He wished to take the lecture tour as an opportunity to further enhance the mutual understanding and friendship, to encourage more Jiangxi companies to invest in Africa, so as to enlarge the cooperation with the five countries and Africa at large.    The delegation also paid a study tour to Xiaolan Economic-Technological Development Zone, Zhongding International Engineering, China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation and Jingdezhen Ceramics Culture Creative Park.