At the invitation of Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, Hon. Mr. Minnikhanov, President of The Republic of Tatarstan visited  Xijiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Mr. Zhang Chunxian, Committee Member of the CCP Central Politic Bureau and Party Secretary of Xijiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Mr, Nur Bekri, Chairman of Xijiang Uygur Autonomous Region met with and held banquet for President Minnikhanov and his delegation. The both sides had in-depth exchange of views on strengthening pragmatic works in fields of trade, energy, industry, education, tourism, culture and etc.. After the meeting, the leaders of the both sides witnessed the signing ceremony of the agreement between Xinjiang University and Kazan State University, as well as the agreement between Xinjiang Branch of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Republic of Tatarstan. Besides, President Minnikhanov attended the Promotion Conference of Investment in Republic of Tatarstan, and visitied Xinjiang Hi-tech Development Zone, International Exhibition Center, local enterprises and mosques, and he also held a seminar with the representatives of Xinjing Tatars. Mr. Song Jingwu, Director-General of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC were present at the above events.

In order to implement the outcome of the visit of CPAFFC delegation to Belgium and discuss further cooperation, Vice President Hu Sishe met with Belgian delegation led by Mr. Didier Viviers, President of University Liberty of Brussels. Mr. Philippe Nayer, Minister-Counsellor of the Belgian Embassy in China attended the meeting. 　　　 Vice President Hu Sishe meeting with Mr. Didier Viviers, President of University Liberty of Brussels Vice President Hu Sishe welcomed Mr. Didier Viviers and his delegation and expressed his sincere thanks for the gracious hospitality of University Liberty of Brussels during his visit. Hu briefed cooperation intentions the two organizations achieved in Belgium and proposed to establish China-Europe Cities Research Center together with ULB. Hu noted that CPAFFC had rich experience and resources in intercity exchanges and hoped the two organizations could promote exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and European cities on urbanization, modernization, government structure, etc. through exchanging students, conducting China-Europe comparative study, offering long-term and short-term courses, and organizing dialogues and seminars.    Vice President Hu Sishe meeting with delegation from University Liberty of Brussels Mr. Didier Viviers expressed that as a member of European Capitals Universities Union, French-Speaking Universities Union and Brussels Research Center, ULB would like to utilize its available resources to conduct all-dimensional, diversified, and wide-range cooperation with CPAFFC and was willing to offer courses of public management for Chinese students, civil servants and other people concerned to enhance mutual understanding and promote common development of Chinese and European cities.

On April 10th, Mr. Tang Jia Xuan, President of China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) attended the reception held for welcoming the Japanese friendly exchanging delegation headed by Ryu Matsumoto, the former Japanese minister of environment and President of Fukuoka Japan-China Friendship Association. At the reception, President Tang Jia Xuan delivered the speech titled firm conviction, face challenges, act positively, overcome current difficulty. President Tang said, as the close neighbors separated only by a strip of water, China and Japan have long lasting relations, similar culture and blended interest. The two countries have all reasons to adhere to the road of peaceful development, better enhance strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and promote the  stability prosperity of Asia. In current situation, the friendship organizations of the both countries should work together and stimulate the people’s strength and wisdom, so as to make continuous efforts on improve and develop the relation between China and Japan.  Matsumoto Ryu said, the official relations between China and Japan are facing difficult situation at present, the two countries should develop the exchanges in people-to-people level in fields of regional cooperation, economy and youth contact, to give an impetus to the improvement and development of the relation between the two countries. At the reception, the delegation also pronounced the Declaration of First Kyusyo Friendly Exchanging Delegation, which expresses the willingness of observing the principles of four political documents with China. The delegation wishes the two countries to launch the dialogue mechanism as soon as possible and  handle the disputes properly, to promote the friendly exchanges and long-lasting peace between the two countries.

On Apr. 9th, Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of CPAFFC met with and held a banquet for Mr. Joseph Zarzewsky, Partner of Mitrelli Group of Israel and CEO of Chinese District and his group. Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC also had a short meeting with the guests from Israel. Secretary-General Li Xikui extended his welcome to Mr. Zarzewsky and his group. He said, agriculture modernization is the essential condition of the development of the Chinese agriculture.  The agricultural development in China is currently facing many problems such as slow development in northwestern arid area. Since Israel possesses world level technologies of irrigation, crop-plantation and cultivation, he hoped that those advanced experience could be introduced to China, at the same time the both sides would develop demonstration projects, so as to deepen friendship and cooperation. Mr. Zarzewsky expressed that the Jewish people and Chinese people maintained special historical relations. He hoped to follow the trail of the ancestors, and make contributions to the exchange and cooperation in various fields for the two countries. In 2006, Mitrelli Group set up  the Foundation of Art and Culture, which aids the poverty-stricken area children aged 0-12 with congenital heart disease in the world to go to Israel and take surgeries. The foundation looks forward to developing cooperation with China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), to support a lot of children with congenital heart disease from poverty-stricken area of Northwestern China to visit Israel with their families to receive heart surgeries. Mr. Shen Xin, Secretary General of CFFPD, Mme. Jia Ling, Deputy Secretary General of CFFPD were present the above events.

On April 8th, Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of CPAFFC, met with Mr. Ian Gorst, Chief Minister of the Jersey Island Government, Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom and his delegation. Mr. Xie Yuan welcomed Chief Minister and his delegation, made a brief introduction of CPAFFC’s work, and the preparation for the upcoming 60th anniversary. Mr.Gorst expressed his gratitude for CAPFFC’s hospitality, introduced the existing cooperation projects and their prospects between Jersey and China in the fields of financial services, E-commerce, tourism and agriculture etc., and expressed his wishes to maintain close contact with CAPFFC, and to further promote the mutual beneficial exchanges and cooperation with China. Located in the English Channel and near to the northwest of France, the Jersey Island has its own taxation and legislation system and is famous international offshore financial center with a high degree of autonomy. This is the second visit of Chief Minister Ian Gorst to China by the invitation of CPAFFC.

As the official member of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO), a 3-people-working group of CPAFFC headed by Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of CPAFFC participated in the 25th General Assembly of CONGO in New York, USA from 2nd to 4th April, 2014. During its stay in New York, the working group met with Mr. Cyril Ritchie, President of CONGO, held an in-depth discussion with all the attendees on the theme of Defining a Sustainable Future, and took part in the election of President and Board Members of CONGO from 2014 to 2017. The CONGO General Assembly has overwhelming re-elected Mr. Cyril Ritchie as President for 2014 to 2017. A total of 20 non-governmental organizations including World Alliance for Citizen Participation, International Federation for Women, International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations and Women’s International League for Universities were elected as board members from 2014 to 2017.

At the invitation of Korea-China Friendship Association and Kumho Asiana Group, 20 winners of the 8th “Kumho Asiana Cup” Korean Speech Contest of Chinese College Students visited South Korea from March 24 to 29. Delegation visited the headquarter of Kumho Asiana Group in Seoul, knowing about the structures and working fields of Kumho Asiana Group as well as Korea-China Friendship Association. The delegation also visited Kumho Tire factory, and experienced test drive. During the communication with Kyung Hee University, The main information about the university, including supplied lessons, number of students and faculty, university history and so on, is introduced to the Chinese students, who also tripped around the campus, library, dinning hall, and auditorium. The “Kumho Asiana Cup” Korean Speech Contest of Chinese College Students is jointly held by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Korea-China Friendship Association and Kumho Asiana Group. Since its beginning in 2006, the activity has been carried out once in a year for consecutively 8 years, which plays a positive role in promoting youth exchange between China and South Korea, and deepening two peoples’ friendship.    Mr. Lee Won Tae, Vice-President of Korea-China Friendship Association meeting with delegation Visiting Kumho Asiana Group Knowing about the main information of Kumho Tire Company Visiting Kumho Tire factory Mr. Jung Sup Kim, Dean of Development and External Affairs, delivering welcome speech Photo with Mr. Jung Sup Kim Communicating with Korean Students

During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Germany, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (a.k.a. CPAFFC) led Rainbow Bridge-Volkswagen Youth Football Team to Germany for exchange during March 26 to 30, 2014. The opening ceremony of “Pursue Chinese Youth’s Football Dream” China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp and a friendly match was held in Wolfsburg. President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport of China and Chairman of Chinese Football Association, who made a special trip for this event, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC, Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG, Grindal, Representative of German Football Association (DFB) attended the event. Rainbow Bridge Project is an innovative project of people-to-people diplomacy initiated by the CPAFFC in October, 2012. The project servers as a bridge that connects multinational corporations, and it is aiming to leverage multinational corporations’ CSR resources to help Old Liberated Areas, eventually to achieve a win-win. So far, there are over 40 multinational corporations own and participate in specific subprojects. Hong’an Youth Football Team (boy’s team) and Zhidan Youth Football Team (co-ed team) sponsored by Volkswagen is one of the subprojects.  The Chinese delegation includes 20 male and female football players aged from 11 to 14 and 3 coaches from Zhidan County, Shaanxi Province and Hong’an County, Hubei Province. The delegation received professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg and had exchange with Wolfsburg U12 Youth Football Team during March 24 to 28. On March 29, the opening ceremony of “Pursue Chinese Youth’s Football Dream” China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp and a friendly match was held in Berlin Olympic Stadium, Germany. President Xi Jinping and his wife watched the game and had cordial talks with young football players from China and Germany. On the football field, Chinese players’ indomitable spirit and putting friendship before competition were highly appreciated by President Xi and the audience. After the game, President Xi and his wife shook hands with every player from the two countries and took group photos. He encouraged Chinese junior players to be the pioneer of China’s junior football. Representatives of Zhidan and Hong’an football team presented President Xi their team pennant signed by all the players, and Grindal gave President Xi a football with autographs of all the members of German national football team. This event demonstrated the flexibility  of people-to-people diplomacy. People’s friendship was successfully promoted through football, meanwhile, the event became a highlight of President Xi’s visit to Europe.  This event has formally started Rainbow Bridge-Wolfsburg China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp. Wolfsburg Club will successively send experienced coaches to Zhidan and Hong’an for coaching, and invite promising players to Germany. When reporting to President Xi, Mme. Li Xiaolin said, through Rainbow Bridge Project, the CPAFFC brought these young players from Old Liberated Areas abroad and realized their Chinese Football dream, the project will continue to serve as a bridge for development of Chinese football. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG said, Volkswagen AG will work with CPAFFC to fully support China’s football development. Volkswagen will bring football team to China for tournaments and establish junior football clubs in 11 Chinese cities where Volkswagen factories are located.    President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC and Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG etc. takes a group photo with junior football players of China and Germany President Xi thumbs up cheering for players in the field  German players wear commemorative scarfs printed with name of this event for Chinese players  Chinese players show their indomitable spirit in the field Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg Chinese players ask for autographs and take group photo with active stars of Bundesliga Wolfsburg Football Club

On the evening of Mar. 27, an award gala was held during China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference. 34 pairs of sister provinces/states and cities, and 4 individuals were honored with 9 categories of awards for their prominent contribution in promoting exchanges between China-U.S. sister cities in respect to long-term cooperation, personal contribution, youth exchange, cultural exchange, trade and economic cooperation and best innovation etc.. As an important carrier of friendship between the two countries, sister cities relationship has been established between 41 pairs of provinces/states and 202 pairs of cities between China and the U.S.. CPAFFC is entrusted to oversee and coordinate the sister cities relationship between China and foreign countries.

At noon of Mar. 27, a lunch meeting was held in Washington D.C. during 2014 China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference. Mayor Vincent Gray of Washington D.C., Mr. Mack McLarty, Former White House Chief of Staff and Mayor Yang Luyu of Jinan City of China delivered speeches to support exchanges between cities of the two countries. Mayor Vincent Gray of Washington D.C. delivering speech Mayor Vincent Gray announced that the direct flight between Washington D.C. and Beijing by Air China will be launched in June. Mr. Mack McLarty expressed his congratulations and joy toward the launch of the direct flight and emphasized the significance of the bilateral relations between our two countries for the future as well as our future generations. Mayor Yang Luyu of Jinan City delivering speech