At the invitation of the CPAFFC, the Japanese FUTURE health care delegation, headed by Takasaki Ken, Chairman of Japan Health Care Society and Honorary Professor of Tokyo Women's Medical University, visited Beijing, Fuzhou and Xiamen from February 26 to March 2. The 6-member delegation consists of renowned experts on medicine, medical equipment and medical education in Japan. During the group’s stay in Beijing, Vice President Song Jingwu met with Takasaki Ken. The delegation also held discussions with the relevant heads of the National Health Commission of China and visited Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (new campus in Fengtai District), deepening their understanding of the latest development and achievement of China’s health care and exchanging views on future medical cooperation between the two countries. Song Jingwu meets with the delegation Meeting with the National Health Commission of China Visiting Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University During the stay in Fujian Province, Li Hong, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Fujian Province, and Shao Yuqin, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Xiamen, met with the delegation respectively. The delegation held discussions with Fujian Provincial Health Commission and Fujian Food and Drug Administration, conducted field trips to Fuling Golden Sun Health and Elderly Care Service Center, Xiamen Caitang Jincuobian Nursing Home and other elderly care institutions, and visited Xiamen Biology Medicine Industrial Park, Ogawa Smart Healthcare Technology Group, Xiamen Tasman Bioengineering Co., Ltd. as well as other health care enterprises and industrial bases. Meeting with Fujian Provincial Health Commission and Fujian Food and Drug Administration Visiting Fuling Golden Sun Health and Elderly Care Service Center Visiting Xiamen Biology Medicine Industrial Park Visiting Xiamen Caitang Jincuobian Nursing Home Visiting the Chinese herbal medicine plantation of Xiamen Tasman Bioengineering Co., Ltd. The members of the delegation said that they are pleased with the rich, substantial and customized programs of the visit. Through the meetings and field trips, they have personally experienced the tremendous achievements China has made in health care and the great efforts made by the Chinese government to improve people's livelihood, for which they highly respect. Japan has struggled to ward off an aging and childless society for a long time and have both gained successful experiences and learned lessons in health care, elderly care and nursing. China and Japan share a lot of similarities in these fields. They hoped that both the positive and negative experiences of Japan will be helpful to China. With great potentials for cooperation in health care and nursing, it is expected that Japan and China will strengthen exchanges and cooperation and bring together each other's wisdom to benefit the two countries and their peoples.          

On March 1, Vice President Lin Yi met with H. E. G. Batsukh, Chairman of Mongolia-China Friendship Association (MCFA) and Former Mongolian Ambassador to China and H. E. D. Gankhuyag, Mongolian Ambassador to China. Lin Yi welcomed the Mongolian guests and congratulated Mr. Batsukh to be elected the new Chairman of MCFA. Lin Yi said that CPAFFC cherished the friendly and cooperative relations with MCFA as well as the Embassy of Mongolia to China and stood ready to make concerted efforts for the exchanges and cooperation in culture, local government and other fields on the occasion of 70th Anniversary of China-Mongolia Diplomatic Ties this year. Chairman Batsukh recalled the exchanges with CPAFFC when serving as the Mongolian Ambassador and indicated that MCFA would strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with CPAFFC in the future, especially to jointly hold the people-to-people activities on the introduction of bilateral histories, cultures and current development, thus to further the mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples.. Ambassador Gankhuyag said that the Embassy of Mongolia to China would fully support the two people-to-people friendship associations’ cooperation and make in-depth discussion with CPAFFC regarding the celebration activities on 70th Anniversary of Mongolia-China Diplomatic Ties.         Photographed by Wu Jiong

On March 1, 2019, Vice President Xie Yuan met with Mr. Tapusalaia Terry Toomata, Samoan Ambassador to China. The two sides exchanged ideas on advancing local cooperation between China and Samoa. Vice President Xie Yuan expressed sincere gratitude to Ambassador Toomata for his positive contributions to the people-to-people friendly exchanges and cooperation of local governments between China and Samoa over the past ten years. Vice President Xie said CPAFFC was delighted to know that relevant cities of Samoa had conducted exchange of visits and contacts with Kunming and Xi’an. We hoped both sides could carry on more exchanges and deepen their mutual understanding,  so as to lay a solid foundation for the possible establishment of friendship-city relations. Ambassador Toomata said that Samoa had preliminary exchanges and discussions on establishing friendship-city relations with Kunming, the city of spring, and Xi’an, a city abundance with cultural and historical heritage. The embassy would follow up with it, to further strengthen the friendship between our two peoples and promote common development. Mr. Hao Zhongwei, Deputy Director General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, was present at the meeting.         Photographed by Zhang Weixiao

Mr. Xie Yuan, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr. Fran?ois Ayodele Jackman, Barbados Ambassador to China on March 1, 2019. Vice President Xie Yuan expressed welcome to the Ambassador Jackman and made a brief introduction about the exchanges in the fields of local governments and culture CPAFFC had developed. He also said that CPAFFC is willing to actively push the establishment of the friendly cities between China and Barbados, so as to achieve zero breakthrough. Ambassador Jackman thanked Vice President Xie Yuan for taking time to meet him and expressed that Barbados Embassy in China would keep close contact with CPAFFC and further promote the friendly exchange of the people-to-people of the two countries.            

At the invitation of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, Vice President Song Jingwu visited Tokyo and Hokkaido Prefecture from February 20 to 24, 2019. During the visit, he met with Mori Yoshiro, former Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Suzuki Daichi, Commissioner of Japan Sports Agency, Takahashi Harumi, Governor of Hokkaido Prefecture, Furuoya Mitsuo , Secretary General of the National Governors' Association of Japan, Akimoto Katsuhiro, Mayor of Sapporo, Kikuya Hideyoshi, President of Hokkaido Association of City Mayors and Mayor of Date, and Irie Kan, Vice President of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, exchanging views on how to further strengthen the friendly exchanges between the two countries in the fields of local governments, mass sports and youth. Song Jingwu introduced the events and achievements of friendly exchanges conducted by the CPAFFC in the fields of local governments and youth in the past year. He said that last year marked 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with President Xi Jinping for several times, and exchanged visits with Premier Li Keqiang, which had been long since their last round of exchanges. The relations between the two countries have returned to a normal track. The two countries designate this year as a "China-Japan Youth Exchange Promotion Year" and will host the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and 2022 Winer Olympics in Beijing respectively, which will bring new opportunities for the cultural exchanges of youth and sports between the two countries. The CPAFFC hopes to work with various sectors of Japan in an innovative way, to carry out more extensive and practical exchanges among grassroots, especially young people, on the theme of the Olympics.   Mori Yoshiro, former Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said that Japan and China are both sports powers and many of their exchanges in sports went down in history of the development of bilateral relations and even international relations. He hopes that the two countries will seize the opportunity to jointly promote the development of the Olympic Movement in East Asia and strengthen mutual understanding and friendship among the peoples. Suzuki Daichi, Commissioner of Japan Sports Agency, said that he is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side in sports talent training and mass sports in the future. Takahashi Harumi, Governor of Hokkaido Prefecture, said that both Japanese prime minister and Chinese premier attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the 3rd China-Japan Governors’ Forum in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The forum was a great success. The Japanese local governments will make more efforts to vigorously carry out cooperation in the fields of mass sports and youth exchanges in the future.            

On February 22, the CPAFFC Vice President Mme. Lin Yi met with Mrs. Winnie N. Chibesakunda, the Zambian Ambassador to China. Mme. Lin Yi said that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was successfully held last year, which pointed out the directions for China-Africa cooperation and development in the following three years. The CPAFFC will actively implement the important consensus reached by the two presidents of China and Zambia during the summit, and promote local government exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. The CPAFFC is willing to work together with the Zambian Embassy in China to enhance local government cooperation and twinning program. Ambassador Chibesakunda said that she is grateful for the CPAFFC’s long-term efforts in promoting Zambia-China friendship and local government exchanges. Mme. Lin’s pending visit to Zambia in March aims to implement the consensus reached by both presidents, which is to facilitate the establishment of more friendship cities. With regard to this visit, she said that to her knowledge, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing of Zambia is actively coordinating and preparing for it,  and the embassy will also offer strong support as well. Mr. Li Hai, Deputy Director General of the Department of Asian and African Affairs, was present at the meeting.        

Happy Spring Festival 2019 Cultural Temple Fair in Hong Kong with the Theme of Mountainous Parks Province · Colorful Guizhou, co-hosted by China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development (CFFPD), China Friendship Association of Cultural Circles (CFACC), the Information Office of Guizhou Provincial People’s Government (IOGPPG), Asia Tourism Exchange Center (ATEC) and Hong Kong United Arts Development Centre Co., Ltd. (HKUADC), was held in Shatin Park in Hong Kong on February 16. Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary-General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Director of CFFPD, Mr. Yang Jian, Deputy Director General of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr. Mu Degui, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and Director General of Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, Mr. Bai Bing, Council Member of CFACC, Ms. Michelle LI Mei-sheung, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services of HKSAR, Mr. WONG Chi Cho, Joe, Jp, Director of Tourism Commission of Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Commerce, Industry and Tourism Branch and other 500 guests and local residents attended the opening ceremony.   Secretary-General Li Xikui said in his speech, the Chinese Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in China and also a common festival for the Mainland and Hong Kong to celebrate. It combines most profound feelings of the Chinese people. This time, we took fine cultural products from Guizhou province which enjoys the reputation of the culture, wine, song and dance to Hong Kong, and hoped to show the original folk cultures and the colorful minority cultures to Hong Kong compatriots, so as to make them experience the achievements China had made since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 70 years ago. Director Michelle LI Mei-sheung said, this temple fair would make Hong Kong residents feel a charming Guizhou province from vision, hearing and taste, and enjoy the happiness and blessing. HKSAR has been working for promoting the cultural exchange between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and also expects to commonly develop through the temple fair.   Deputy Director General Yang Jian said, Guizhou province and Hong Kong have been maintaining a close relationship. He expected that this Cultural Temple Fair could make a more diverse, more various and more colorful Guizhou impression on Hong Kong citizens. Director Mu Degui made an introduction about the economic and social development and the trade exchange between Guizhou province and Hong Kong. He believed that this temple fair could further strengthen the understanding and learning about Guizhou province and promote the exchanges and cooperation to a new level.   The temple fair takes " Mountainous Parks Province · Colorful Guizhou” as its theme and consists of six major sections, including “Original Guizhou- Guizhou Tourism Photography Exhibition”, “Colorful Guizhou-Minority Performance”, “Charming Guizhou-Experiencing Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition”, “Interactive Guizhou-Seeing, Listening and Playing in Guizhou”, “ Treasures in Guizhou-Market from Mountains”, and Guizhou Happiness High-Speed Railway Experience Hall, covering snacks, minority performances, intangible culture heritage and etc.. The event will last three days. By way of exhibitions, performances and experiencing, Hong Kong compatriots could feel the culture, taste the food and enjoy the view from Guizhou without leaving home. They also could experience and learn about the differences between “sea” and “mountains”, “enthusiasm” and “freshness”, “fashion” and “simple”, “lively city” and “beautiful hometown”, “delicate cuisine” and “natural food”.            Photographed by Zhu Rui, Chinese National Geography

Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Mr. Vladimir Norov, New Secretary-General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on February 13, 2019. Vice President Song Jingwu conveyed the cordial greetings from President Li Xiaolin to Secretary-General Vladimir Norov and congratulated the Secretary-General on taking office. Vice President Song also made a brief introduction about CPAFFC and CCAFA (China-Central Asia Friendship Association). Secretary-General Vladimir Norov thanked Vice President Song for taking time to meet them and spoke highly of the important contributions CPAFFC had made on promoting the world friendship and local cooperation. He said, he would develop the friendly cooperation with CPAFFC during his tenure. Both sides had an in-depth discussion on the cooperation in various fields and made specific recommendations. Vladimir Norov has been working as new Secretary-General of SCO since January 1, 2019. Mme. Hu Chunmei, Associated Counsel of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Luo Guangming, Deputy Secretary-General of SCO, attended the meeting.           Photographed by Wen Guangmei

Co-organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and KOUZAN Fine-arts Company, hosted by China Friendship Institute for International Art Exchange (CFIIAE), the first touring exhibition of the world-class animation work, One Piece, in China mainland, came to an end on January 15 in Shenzhen. There were around 100,000 visitors. The exhibition achieved a better response. The opening ceremony of the touring exhibition in Chengdu will be held in Sichuan Museum on January 29. Mr. Hu Sishe, Vice President of CPAFFC，Mr. ONO SINNYA, former Vice Minister of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Mr. Wang Yi, Vice President of Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Sheng Jianwu, President of Sichuan Museum, Chairman of the Board of KOUZAN Fine-arts Company, Mr. HIRONO SHINICHI, Managing Director of Shueisha Inc., Mr. Wang Heshan, Secretary General of CFIIAE, Mr. Zhao Ping, President of Sichuan People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC), Mme. Xiang Qionghua, Secretary General of SPAFFC, Mme. Shiga Kenka, Chairman of Japan-China Peace and Development Promotion Association, Mr. Chen Jianzhong, Chairman of the Board of KOUZAN Fine-arts Company, and other leaders and guests, attended the opening ceremony. Vice President Hu Sishe said in his speech, the contemporary world culture has both distinct characteristics of the times and diverse. As a new type of cultural form and carrier, animation has achieved rapid development in the past two decades and has been widely loved by the people, especially young people. Japan's animation industry has an important place in the world, and it has also played a positive role in the development of Chinese animation for a long time. The animation exchanges between the two countries are not only conducive to promoting the exchange of animation culture of the two countries, but also enhancing mutual understanding and friendship of the youth. ONO SINNYA said that there have been 46 years since the resumption of diplomatic relations between Japan and China. The signing of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship has also passed 41 years. There has indeed been a deep exchange between China and Japan. But what is more important is how to build a foothold for the hearts of the Japanese and Chinese. The cultural exchange opening with anime like this time has made children and young people overcome the obstacles of the nation and the peoples, transcending the specific ideology and the national framework to begin the collision of heart and heart, which caused a great resonance. One Piece was created by Eiichiro Oda, Japanese manga artist. It began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in 1997 and was popular with the animation fans all over the world.  One Piece had been published over 440 million until July, 2018. The touring exhibition in Chengdu will be held from January 30 to May 10. Photographed by Liu Wenwen

A reception in celebration of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and France was held grandly by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) in Beijing on January 21st, 2019. Mr. Chen Zhu, Vice-Chairman of Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Mr. Wang Chao, Vice-Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), attended the reception. Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC and Mr. Jean-Maurice Ripert, Ambassador of French Embassy in China delivered speeches respectively. Vice Chairman Chen Zhu and Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert unveiled the commemorative envelopes marking the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations. Vice President Song Jingwu said, the relationship between China and France is splendid and also is a pacemaker for China’s overall relations with the West countries, playing a leading role in the past 55 years. The world is undergoing tremendous changes and faced with various challenges and opportunities. The bilateral relations should take the 55th anniversary as an opportunity to promote comprehensive strategic partnership. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said in his speech, the closer of the two countries brought the advantages and benefits for each other through overcoming differences caused by the different national conditions. This helped to invigorate China-France cooperative development, which would also be the aim we would make unremitting efforts in future. Over 150 personages including the leaders from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, Ministry of Commerce of the PRC, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Education of the PRC, International Department, Central Committee of CPC and other relevant ministries, and diplomats from French Embassy in China as well as representatives from academic, business and other sectors of the two countries attended the reception. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert Delivering a Speech at the reception   Vice-Chairman Chen Zhu and Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert Unveiling Commemorative Envelopes Marking the 55th Anniversary of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations.