Seminar on U.S. Flying Tigers Heritage in Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-U.S. Diplomatic Relations was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC), Foreign Affairs Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guilin Municipal Government in Guilin on April 25, 2019. Themed as “History Shows the Way forward for the Future: Meeting Challenges Together and Expanding Win-win Cooperation”, the seminar has been participated by more than 60 representatives including government officials, experts and scholars, entrepreneurs. Speakers from the Chinese side include Sun Dawei, deputy party secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Zhou Wenzhong, former Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. as well as vice president of China-U.S. Friendship Association, Zhang Heqiang, director general of the American and Oceanian Affairs Department of CPAFFC, Wu Baiyi, director of Institute of American Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Qi Zhenhong, president of China Institute of International Studies, Wu Sichun, director of Institute for International Strategic Studies of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and Deputy Director Zhou Bo of Lingui District of Guilin city.  Besides, Zhao Leqin, vice chairman of the standing committee of Guangxi people's congress and secretary of CPC Guilin Committee attended the seminar. Speakers from the U.S. side include U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad, James Whitehead, chairman of the Flying Tigers Historic Organization, Chip Carter, special representative and son of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Chris Cox, grandson of former U.S. President Richard Nixon and vice president of Bright Sphere Investment Group Asian Company, Larry Jobe, president of the Flying Tigers Historic Organization, Nell Calloway, granddaughter of General Chennault and K.C. Ma, vice president of the Flying Tigers Historic Organization. Director General Zhang Heqiang mentioned in his speech that the traditional cooperative friendship between the Flying Tigers and Chinese people, which dates back to 70 years ago, is playing an enlightening role to the current China-U.S. relations.  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and U.S. He would like to review the cooperation history with people from all walks of life in our two countries, pass on the friendship and call on the two peoples to seize opportunities and meet challenges together, making our own contributions to build a coordinated, cooperative and stable China-U.S. relationship as well as building a community with a shared future for mankind. After the seminar, participants also visited the American Flying Tigers Guilin Heritage Park and attended the launching ceremony of the Youth Volunteers’ Action to Protect the Mother River.                            Foreign Affairs Office of Guilin City

On April 25th, Vice President Song Jingwu met with the delegation led by Chairman Okamoto Tamotsu of Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), Japan  who was to attend Local Cooperation Panel of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the invitation of the CPAFFC. Vice President Song Jingwu said that with the joint efforts by the government and other sectors of society in the two countries, China-Japan relations have returned to normal track with momentum of active new developments. The CPAFFC and the CLAIR, together with our Korean counterpart, have co-hosted the China-Japan-Korea Friendship Cities Conference for more than two decades in a row. During the rock bottom of the bilateral relations, the CLAIR continued facilitating China-Japan local exchanges and cooperation and made its contributions to bring the bilateral relations back to normal track. Today, the Local Cooperation Panel of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation has been successfully co-hosted by the CPAFFC and Beijing Municipal Government. With China-Japan relations facing opportunities of further improvements, the CPAFF, as Chinese local governments’ major channel for international exchanges, is willing to strengthen coordination with the CLAIR to promote the exchanges and  cooperation between Chinese and Japanese local governments and play an active role in the long term steady developments of China-Japan relations. Chairman Okamoto congratulated the CPAFFC on the success of the Local Cooperation Panel and said that local exchanges and cooperation serve as an important foundation of Japan-China relations, the CLAIR will maintain its close cooperation with the CPAFFC and further promote Japan-China local exchanges and make its due efforts to the further improvement and development of Japan-China relations.         Photographed by Pan Lin 

Vice President Xie Yuan met with representatives of US organizations Sister Cities International and US Sino Friendship Association, attending the Sub-national Cooperation Thematic Forum of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (the Second BRF). Vice President Xie introduced that in line with the trend of prospering sub-national cooperation between China and other countries in recent years, the Second BRF sets up for the first time the Sub-national Cooperation Thematic Forum. During the thematic forum, over 100 delegates from around the world will discuss on the achievements and prospects of the sub-national exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries. Xie hoped that the US participants could make full use of this forum to tap the potential of sub-national cooperation with China by expanding areas of cooperation and exploring future contacts, so as to make positive contribution to the development of China-US sub-national cooperation. Carol Lopez, chair-elect of Sister Cities International, expressed that the BRI of China draws great attention worldwide. The Fourth US China Sister Cities Conference, which is scheduled in July in Houston, will also make "Belt and Road" as one of its important topics. Lopez expected to learn more about the BRI through the forum.          Photographed by Zhang Yang

Mr. Song Jingwu, vice president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and vice president of China-Russia Friendship Association (CRFA), met with and held a banquet for Mr. Mezentsev, chairman of Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA) and chairman of Economic Committee of Russian Federation Council, who was recommended by CPAFFC and was invited to visit China by Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation Organizing Committee on April 24. Both sides had a discussion on the cooperative programs the two organizations developed recently. Russian side expressed appreciation for being invited to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and spoke highly of the current achievements the Belt and Road Initiatives had made. Mr. Shen Xin, director-general of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mme. Hu Chunmei, associated counsel of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mme. O. Melynikova, cultural counselor of the Russian Embassy in China and director-general of Russian Cultural Center (RCC) and etc., attended the meeting.         Photographed by Zheng Chen

On April 24, End Malaria Council (EMC) Beijing Meeting was held in Beijing. Madam Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and H. E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of Tanzania attended the meeting and delivered speeches respectively. They both are members of EMC. President Li Xiaolin welcomed H. E. Kikwete. She indicated that ending malaria had been listed in the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations and EMC is an important link to realize this goal. After decades of efforts, China had accumulated abundant experiences, techniques and talents on anti-malaria. CPAFFC, as an organization in general consultative status with ECOSOC, is dedicated to build platforms between organizations at home and abroad to introduce Chinese models and best practices to other countries when necessary. She hoped that this meeting could promote the cooperation between China and other countries, especially high-burden countries in Africa, so that Chinese models and experiences could be applied to Africa and Mekong river countries to help the overall elimination of malaria around the world. H. E. Kikwete pointed out that the infection and death rate of Malaria in many African countries had dropped drastically in recent years but the challenges continued to be severe. In African countries, malaria is still one of the most deadly diseases. Since the establishment of EMC, many actions had been taken to control malaria with good results achieved. H. E. Kikwete hoped that international community could provide  artemisinin medication, long-lasting insecticide nets and carry out international cooperation to help developing countries to further control and eliminate malaria. China has made great achievements and provided a variety of international aid in anti-malaria endeavor. EMC would like to strengthen its cooperation with China and spread the experiences and technology to the countries in need. Representatives and experts from National Health Commission, Ministry of Commerce, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organization attended the meeting to exchange views on Chinese experiences and anti-malaria cooperation. EMC is initiated and launched in 2017 by Bill Gates, Co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ray Chambers, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Health in Agenda 2030 and for Malaria. It is mainly composed of representatives from high-malaria-burden and major donor countries aiming to eliminate malaria globally.         Photographed by Ren Xin

On April 24, United Nations Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network (hereinafter referred to as EWECCPN) meeting was held in Beijing. Madam Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of CPAFFC, and H. E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of Tanzania and Alternative Co-chair of UN Every Woman Every Child High Level Steering Group (EWEC HLSG) attended the meeting and delivered speeches respectively. As member of EWEC HLSG, President Li Xiaolin hosted the meeting and welcomed H. E. Kikwete. President Li pointed out that the health and welfare of every woman, child and adolescent played an important part in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. CPAFFC actively promoted and supported the global health strategy of Every Woman Every Child Initiative proposed by the United Nations, and took the lead to launch the Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network (EWECCPN). Since its establishment, EWECCPN had been widely supported by government departments, academic groups, social organizations and enterprises, forming a comprehensive partnership network crossing different sections, fields and industries to advance the realization of health projects for women and children in China, Africa and other related countries. This meeting aimed to build consensus, share experiences and carry forward cooperation. Mme. Li said that the upcoming Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation presented China’a tangible action for building a community with a shared future for humanity. EWECCPN would also continue to integrate China’s development with that of other countries. By working with partners from all over the world, EWECCPN would focus on the need of recipient countries, exploit new potentials for collaboration so as to achieve win-win cooperation and common development, making contribution to the health of women and children in China, Africa and other countries. H. E. Kikwete in his speech introduced the difficult challenges faced by African countries in the fields of women and children, including lacking doctors and nurses, lacking medical equipment and malnutrition. He pointed out that a series of measures had been taken by African countries in recent years and positive results had been gained. However, there was still a distance for them to reach the 2030 SDG. African countries still needed further support from international community. China’s Belt and Road Initiative and China-Africa Forum are both important platforms for African countries. Through these framework and initiatives, African countries could get necessary support to build a more extensive and comprehensive partnership to tackle the challenges on the health of mother and children. H. E. Kikwete expressed his gratitude to President Li for holding this meeting. He thanked the commitments and efforts China had made and was willing to work with China, and would report the content of the meeting to the UN EWEC HLSG meeting to be held in September. Counsellor Huang Hongjiang from Department of International Organization and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), mentioned in his speech that MFA, as the Guidance Unit to EWECCPN, highly appreciated the great efforts and positive achievements made by CPAFFC as the coordinating unit of EWECCPN. MFA would continue to support CPAFFC and EWECCPN to carry out pragmatic projects to benefit women and children in China and in the world. Vice President Xie Yuan, in the closing remarks, thanked all the parties and wished all the stakeholders continue to support EWECCPN, making it a shared platform combining more resources and promoting more cooperation. Others present at the meeting were around 18 Chinese organizations including All-China Women's Federation, Tsinghua University, International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center of National Health Commission and Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Health, Education and Research Foundation, as well as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United Nations Population Fund China Office and other international organizations and UN agencies in China. They   shared their experiences and suggestions. All the attendees expressed wish to work closer together to jointly make more contributions to realize the the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.         Photographed by Ren Xin    

On April 22, Vice President Xie Yuan met with President Stephen Lakis of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation(SLLF). Vice President Xie said  that China-U.S. Sub-national Legislature Exchange Mechanism has played a positive role in the bilateral sub-national exchanges. CPAFFC, Hebei Provincial People’s Congress and SLLF are working hard on the upcoming Fourth China-U.S.Sub-national Legislatures Cooperation Forum in Shijiazhuang, capital city of Hebei Province, this year.  He hoped that, with concerted efforts, the forum will bring more practical cooperation at the sub-national level contributing to China-U.S. relations. President Lakis said that sub-national cooperation is an important part of U.S.-China relationship. SLLF would like to deepen the cooperation with CPAFFC to further the exchanges between the two countries’ subnational legislatures and drive the subnational cooperation into more fields.          

Vice President Xie Yuan met with a delegation from American Chinese Restaurant Institute in Beijing on April 19. Vice President Xie briefed the guests on the major tasks the CPAFFC has been performing in promoting people-to-peoples exchanges, especially in the cultural sector, between China and the US. He said, food culture is the major component of the cultural identities of every nation in the world. The CPAFFC would like to work with the American Chinese Restaurant Institute to, by means of food culture exchanges, increase mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries. Hu Xiaojun, Chairman of American Chinese Restaurant Institute, said he would like to take the trip to China as an opportunity to build connections and make friends through food culture. By increasing exchanges in food culture, he hoped to strengthen people-to-people friendship and continue the prosperity of Chinese food abroad.            

 Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, president of China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) met in Beijing with Mr. KONO YOHE, president of the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan (JAPIT) and former speaker of the House of Representatives, and his delegation on April 18. Mr. Song Jingwu, vice president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. Wu Jianghao, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Mr. OHASHI YOJI, vice president of JAPIT and adviser of All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd, attended the meeting. President Tang Jiaxuan spoke highly of the contributions President KONO YOHE and JAPIT had made for a long time to improving the Sino-Japanese relations. He said, under the common efforts of the governments and various circles of the two countries, China-Japan relations had returned to normal track since 2018. The leaders of the two countries had reached important consensus after several meetings. It is also inspiring that both sides develop cooperation in bilateral and multilateral fields. As the second and third countries in economy, China and Japan deepen cooperation and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, which are of important significance to peace, stability and development in Asia and the world. President Tang Jiaxuan expected that both sides should make common efforts to cherish the hard-won momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, promote new progress in the exchanges and cooperation of the two countries in various fields and achieve more results. President KONO YOHE said that the two countries made great efforts on improving the bilateral ties. I am glad to see that the Sino-Japanese relations had returned to normal track last year and had made a series of important achievements. President KONO YOHE also expressed, he and JAPIT would work harder and continue making contributions to improving the bilateral relations, and nurture China-Japan friendship among future generations, so as to enable the friendship between both sides to pass on from generation to generation and the fruits of the cooperation of the two countries to benefit Asia and the world.          

On April 15th, Mr Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr Jaap Post, Honorary Chairman of Friendship-Association Netherlands-China (VNC). The two sides exchanged ideas on preparing for the Second China Dutch Friendship Conference for Provinces and Municipalities. Mr Lv Hongwei, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European and Asian Affairs, attended the meeting.