Supplementary Reading: Congratulatory Letter to China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference from U.S. President Obama In commemorating the 35th anniversary of China-U.S. sister cities relationship and deepening practical cooperation between sister cities of China and the U.S., the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Sister Cities International (SCI) jointly held China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference in Washington D.C., capital of the U.S. on March 26-27, 2014. CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan delivering opening speech  U.S. President Barack Obama sent a letter of congratulations to the conference, indicating that “The United States and China are deeply interested in each other’s success. And the United States firmly believes that the emergence of a stable, peaceful and prosperous China is not only good for the Chinese People, but also for America and the world. I wish you all the best for a dynamic, rewarding conference.” Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mary Kane, President of Sister Cities International and Mary Eisenhower, President of People to People International, attended the conference and delivered speeches. They reviewed the history of exchanges of sister cities between China and the U.S. and expressed their expectations on the continuous and concrete cooperation and friendly exchanges between China-U.S. Sister cities in furthering China-U.S. relationship in the future. Over 300 local government officials and representatives from commercial and educational sectors of the two countries attended the conference and shared their experiences in exchanges and cooperation between sister cities. They also discussed various topics including future planning, energy and sustainable development, community participation and trade and commercial cooperation, as well as the focus and direction of future cooperation among sister cities. This conference is the first commemorative and summary event co-hosted and participated by both sides in the history of China-U.S. Sister cities exchanges. It has been included in the outcomes of the 5th China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

On the morning of 28th, March, Mr Li Jianping, Vice President of CPAFFC met with delegation of New Zealand Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee. Ms. Lv Wanru, former staff of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, CPAFFC  and Mr. Nie Guangpei, adopted son of Rewi Alley also attended the meeting.   Vice President Li Jianping reviewed Alley’s remarkable contribution to Chinese revolution and socialism construction and his traditional friendship with CPAFFC. In addition, he also briefed the delegation on the 60th anniversary of CPAFFC and invited friends of New Zealand to join the event. John Hayes, head of the delegation and Chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee and Parliamentary Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs, spoke highly of CPAFFC’s efforts in promoting people-to-people friendship and furthering practical cooperations between local governments of both sides. He said that New Zealand Parliment would like to strengthen cooperation with China in all fields and deepen Sino-New Zealand traditional friendship in the new era. Vice President Li Jianping showed the delegation around Rewi Alley’s residence after the meeting.

At the invitation of Monnaie de Paris (Institution of State Production of Official French Currency), on March 27th, a 8-person delegation headed by CPAFFC Secretary-General Li Xikui visited France to attend the Issuing Ceremony of Commemorating Coins Marking 50th Anniversary of Establishment of China-France Diplomatic Ties. Mr. Song Jingwu, Director-General of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Zhou Ruiming, Secretary-General of Commission for Economic Cooperation of CPAFFC were included in the delegation. Mr. Christophe Beaux, CEO of Monnaie de Paris extended his welcome to the delegation. He said, this year was the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Monnaie de Paris and China Gold Coin Incorporation subordinated to The People’s Bank of China jointly issued a set of commemorating coins to celebrate this great event. This set of commemorating coins was a symbol of people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and France. CPAFFC had made great contribution to promoting the nongovernmental exchanges and cooperation between China and France. He hoped that CPAFFC could publicize the significance of this set of commemorating coins and make more Chinese friends understand and collect. Secretary-General Li Xikui expressed that the promotion of the cultural exchanges and nongovernmental cooperation was one of the aims of CPAFFC. The issue of the commemorating coins was a significant event of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The Chinese and French people could learn more about each other’s art, craft and history through collecting the commemorating coins. The CPAFFC would introduce the background history and culture of the coins to as many friends as possible through her resources, to further strengthen the two people’s understand and friendship.

With the invitation of the Friends of China Association, Mr. Yuan Mindao, Director General of the Department of Asian & African Affairs of the CPAFFC, led a working group, composed of 3 delegates, to visit India from 23rd to 27th March, 2014. Meeting with Dr. Shilpak Ambule, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India During its stay in India, the working group promoted its work from perspectives of both official and people-to-people level. On one hand, the group had contact with Indian officials and met Dr. Shilpak Ambule, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India as well as Mr. Mehta, Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations perspectively. On the other hand, the working group tried its best to get in touch with Indian friendship organizations as many as it can, and had meetings with representatives from Friends of China Society, Indian Association of Friendships with Foreign Countries and India China Society perspectively. Through exchanges of ideas, the cooperative relations between the CPAFFC and friendship organizations in India have been strengthened.     Meeting with Indian Association of Friendships Besides, the working group had a meeting with Mr. Yao Jin, Minister-Counselor of Chinese Embassy in India and paid a visit to Sinosteel India Private LTD, chief representative of India China Friendship Association in India.

On March 27th, Deputy Director General Ji Yongjun met with H.E. Mr. Chandradath Singh, Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to China. Mr. Ji expressed his warm welcome to Ambassador Singh and made an introduction on the work of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). Mr. Ji especially introduced the plan of the event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Trinidad and Tobago. Ambassador Singh spoke highly of the friendly people-to-people exchange program and local governmental communication organized by CPAFFC. He remarked that this year marked the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Trinidad and Tobago, and at the same time, it was the first year that Trinidad and Tobago established its own embassy in China. The Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago wished to keep close contacts with CPAFFC and promote friendly people-to-people exchange between China and Trinidad and Tobago on this occasion.

On the evening of March 26, 2014, Chinese Embassy to the U.S. held a welcome reception in the embassy for the guests from both China and the U.S. in honor of their presence at the 2014 China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference. Honorable Mr. Lu Kang, Minister of Chinese Embassy, Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Daniel Russel, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mary Kane, President and CEO of Sister Cities International, Mike Honda, Federal Congressman of California delivered speeches during the reception. Around 400 leaders and representatives of local governments from states, provinces and cities of both sides attended the reception. Lu Kang, Minister of Chinese Embassy in U.S. delivering speech  Xie Yuan, Vice President of CPAFFC delivering speech Daniel Russel, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs delivering speech Mary Kane, President and CEO of Sister Cities International delivering speech Mike Honda, Federal Congressman of California delivering speech During the reception, 4 pairs of sister cities signed Memorandum of Understanding. They are Jinan City of Shandong Province with Sacramento City of California, Liuzhou City of Guangxi Autonomous Region with Cincinnati of Ohio, Wanzhou District of Chongqing Municipality with Waynesboro of Virginia and Zhengding County of Hebei Province with Muscatine of Iowa. Kunming City of Yunnan Province and Schnectady of New York State formally signed agreement on establishing sister cities relationship. Signing Ceremony of establishment of sister cities The atmosphere of the reception has been pulled to a climax by singing the China-U.S friendship song Peony and Rose in both English and Chinese by American students from the University of Iowa and the Chinese students studying in the University of Maryland. During the reception, it was proposed by the American side that every participant prayed for the passengers of the missing Malaysian Airline flight together. Chinese students studying in the University of Maryland singing Peony and Rose Student of University of Iowa Performing English version

Vice President Feng Zuoku met with a delegation led by H.E. Ms. Minh Kosony, State Secretary of Ministry of Culture and Arts of Cambodia and member of Cambodia-China Friendship Association, at the CPAFFC on March 25th. They were visiting China at the invitation of Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries（BPAFFC）. Vice President Feng made an introduction on China-Cambodia Friendship Association’s successful visit to Cambodia in last December and asked Ms. Minh Kosony to convey his best wishes to H.E. Mr. Ek Sam Ol, President of Cambodia-China Friendship Association. Mr. Feng said that the current bilateral relations are in the best period of development and that the CPAFFC would like to make joint efforts with Cambodian side to promote continuous development of the friendly exchanges in various fields. Ms. Minh Kosony conveyed to Mr. Feng greetings by H.E. Mr. Ek Sam Ol and said that Cambodian people will never forget the support and assistance given by Chinese people over the years. She also expressed her hope for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, culture, economy and trade. BPAFFC Vice President Deng Shaohui attended the meeting.

At the invitation of CPAFFC, a 13-people delegation led by Mr. G. P. Laval LEONG SON from the Chinese Business Chamber in Mauritius made a friendly visit and business trip to Beijing, Shandong and Hunan from March 19 to 25, 2015. The delegation exchanged views on friendly communication and future cooperation with the CPAFFC, Shandong and Hunan Provincial People’s Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and held talks with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shandong Sub-council and Changsha branch. They also paid visits to Linyi Trade City, Shandong Provincial Urban Construction Design Institute, China Sinopharm International Corporation, Qilu Pharmaceutical co., LTD, Aigo Electronic Technology, co., LTD, Jiuyang co., LTD, Zhongda Yanjing Motor Corporation, BYD Company Limited and Kingle Aluminum Technology Stock co., LTD.     The chamber has over 300 members, mainly from the economic and trade circles. With ancestral home in Mei County of Guangdong Province, they hold deep affection for China and attach great importance to engaging in economic and trade cooperation with China. All the delegates agree that China and Mauritius are highly complementary in economy and enjoy great potential for cooperation. They hope that the chamber will serve as a bridge by offering advice to the Mauritian government and giving publicity to the Chinese local government and companies, to push China’s clean energy and green technology into Mauritius and attract Chinese companies to invest in Mauritius .

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations, the CPAFFC and Harvard Kennedy School co-hosted the “New Model of China-US Major-country Relationship and the US-China Public Policy Forum” in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from March 23 to 25. The participants includes Mr. Zhao Qizheng, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin, Mr. Zhang Xinsheng, President of the China Education Association for International Exchange, Mr. Sun Guoxiang, Consul General of the People''s Republic of China in New York, Mr. Joseph Nye, former Dean of the Kennedy School., Mr. Larry Summers, former US Treasury Secretary, Harvard University President Drew Faust, Former Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd and others. The two sides had in-depth discussion and exchanges on a wide-range of issues such as China-US Major-country relationship, finance and trade, environment, science and technology. Both sides agreed that a healthy and stable China-US relationship serves the interests of both countries and the world. It is possible for China and the US to avoid the historical trap of confrontation between emerging economy and established economy. There are growing mutual interests and closer interdependence between the two countries. They are not only engaged in bilateral trade and people-to-people exchanges, but also have close cooperation and face the same challenges in international and regional affairs, such as counter-terrorism, environmental protection, infectious diseases. These challenges, while cannot be resolved without the cooperation of the two countries, demand them to engage in win-win cooperation instead of confrontation. In addition, the two sides also discussed on the definition of each other’s core interests, the meaning and the concrete ways for building China-US major-country relationship.

On March 25th, 2014, the Conference and Reception Marking the Establishment of 3rd Council of China-Arabia Friendship Association were held in Peace Palace, CPAFFC.  Hon. Mr. Arken Imirbaki, Vice-Chairman of Standing Committee of National People’s Congress and President of China-Arabia Friendship Association (CAFA), the vice presidents and council members of CAFA, envoys from the Embassy of Arabian countries in China, totally about 100 persons were present at the conference. President Arken Imirbaki said in his address, since its establishment in 2001, CAFA had done large amount of work to promote the people-to-people contact between China and the Arabian countries. The establishment of the exchanging mechanism such as China-Arabia Friendship Conference, which had connected all the Arabian friendly-to-China organizations, developed series of bilateral exchanging activities in culture, scholarship, youth, economy and trade, and had achieved fruitful result. In the future, CAFA would enhance the mutual understanding and emphasis between the peoples by developing and supporting the research and promotion of each other’s culture and history, so as to fundamentally consolidate the base of China-Arabia friendship, and mark a new chapter for long lasting friendly relations between China and the Arabian countries. H.E. Mr. Abdullah Al Saadi, the Oman ambassador to China and the head of the envoys group from the Embassy of Arabian countries in China extended the warm congratulation to Vice-Chairman Arken Imirbaki on his being elected as the new president of CAFA. He said, since the establishment of CAFA, the relationship between China and Arabian countries had been developing rapidly towards a sublime goal. The achievement was attributed to the results acquired by CAFA’s work on strengthening the people-to-people contact between China and the Arabian countries in the past few years. The both sides political relationship based on mutual respect had been strengthened and the economic and trading contacts based on the realizing common development had been more frequent, as well as the cultural exchanges had been further expanded and deepened, therefore, the two sides realized the mutual beneficial cooperation in international affairs. He thanked Chinese government for consistently supporting the cause of Arabian Countries including Palestine.