On April 11th, Vice President Lin Yi met with Under-Secretary Ali Aljabri of Information Minister of the Sultanate of Oman.   After reviewing bilateral people-to-people friendly exchanges over past years, the two sides exchanged opinions on strengthening cooperation to further people-to-people friendly relations on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Oman. Oman Ambassador Abdullah Al Saadi, Deputy Director General Li Hai of Asian and African Affairs Department also attended the meeting.     Gong Xu   Photograph

On April 10th, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Scottish Government of the UK, and UNICEF co-hosted presentation and round table discussion over Child Rights and Equality: Closing the Gaps for the Poorest Children. On invitation of CPAFFC, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland delivered keynote speech. Vice President Hu Sishe of CPAFFC, Deputy Director Song Wenzhen of National Working Committee for Children and Women of State Council, Rana Flowers from UNICEF office for China made speeches. More than 200 representatives from government, institutions, social organizations and UNICEF, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Normal University and China Women’s University attended the event. Round table discussion has drew experts from China and Scotland in child right protection to more in-depth exchange of views after the speech.

Vice Premier Hu Chunhua met with First Minister of Scotland Sturgeon and her delegation. Both sides shared views on strengthening exchanges and cooperation in economics and trade, culture and education, energy and environmental protection as well as technology and creation. President of the CPAFFC Li Xiaolin attended the meeting.     Aaron Benjamin Berkovich   photograph 

On April 9th, Vice President Song Jingwu of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) was invited to attend the welcome reception Scotland is Now. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland and Vice President Song delivered the speech on behalf of two sides. Scottish and Chinese students presented an opera piece with Chinese cultural background.     Zhang Hualu   Photograph

On April 9th , the China-U.S. Youth Friendship Evening was held in the beautiful compound of the CPAFFC, where the dancing green and blossomy fragrance delivers the message of spring. Director General Zhang Heqiang of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the CPAFFC, Vice Principal Zhang Chunlin of Beijing No.8 High School, Principal Professor Mula Na of the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School, Co-Chair Ronald Shu-Ki Chow of Washington State Panda Foundation, Mayor Lucas of City of Steilacoom, Principal Erwin of Lincoln High School and more than 40 teachers and students from Beijing No.8 High School, Lincoln High School, Steilacoom High School and Valley View Middle School of Washington State attended this event. Mayor Lucas and Principal Erwin recalled Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Lincoln High School in September 2015. They quoted President Xi’s remarks to encourage youth from both countries to carry on this friendship and create a brighter future for U.S.-China relations. Entrusted by President Li Xiaolin of the CPAFFC, Director General Zhang Heqiang expressed his best wishes and warm regards to friends from the State of Washington. He said, young people are full of vitality and hope, just like the rising sun at 8 or 9 o’clock in the morning, like trees of flowers and April of spring. The foundation of China-U.S. friendship has its roots in the people and its future rests with the youth. He hoped youth from both countries remain closely connected henceforth, nurturing friendship and promoting China-U.S. relations for generations to come. Vice Principal Zhang Chunlin said, a year’s plan starts with spring. The spring trip of the delegation to China may usher a very start of long-time exchanges. He also expressed his hope that the two schools from Beijing and their Washington counterparts establish cooperative relations, and forge common progress by constant communication and deepening friendship. Co-Chair Ronald Shu-Ki Chow said, youth from both countries could learn more about each other’s cultures and values through exchanges and communication, which will certainly lay a solid foundation for the consolidation and development of U.S.-China friendship. At the event, students from both countries chorused “On the Fields of Hope”, a house-known Chinese folk song, expressing their expectations for better future and aspirations to cultivate the fields of hope together.   

Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mme. Chansamorn Wattanavekin, the founder of Thai-Chinese Women Association (TCWA), Mr. Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of the Board of the Bangkok College of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), and student representatives from training class for Chinese language consisted of high-level entrepreneurs on April, 3rd. Mm. Lin Yin thanked the efforts Sanan Angubolkul and Chansamorn Wattanavekin had made for a long time on promoting the cause of friendship between peoples of China and Thailand and said that CPAFFC would like to strengthen the cooperation with Thailand in the fields of economy, trade, training for the youth, employment, entrepreneurship and etc.. Mme. Chansamorn Wattanavekin expressed that the prospect for the two countries to cooperate is broad. She hoped to establish more platforms with CPAFFC to develop pragmatic exchanges in the fields of youth, old people , women and etc.. Mr. Sanan Angubolkul said, Thailand supports the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) in various countries and actively takes part in the construction of the BRI. He also said that Thailand would like to promote the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries jointly with CPAFFC in the fields of the economy, trade, investment, culture, tourism and etc..  

Vice President Song Jingwu attended and addressed the opening ceremony of 2018 Wuxi International Cherry Blossom Week and the Commemoration of the 31st Anniversary of the China-Japan Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest in Wuxi on March 28, 2018. Vice President Song Jingwu addresses the opening ceremony Vice President Song said that after over 30 years of hard work, the China-Japan Cherry Blossom Friendship Forest jointly built by Wuxi and its Japanese partner has not only become China's top destination for cherry blossom viewing, but also a symbol of friendship between China and Japan. The Wuxi International Cherry Blossom Week has become an important cultural event in Wuxi, which has played an important role in promoting urban construction and development as well as pushing forward exchanges and cooperation with other countries. In October last year, the 19th CPC National Congress was successfully convened and the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was introduced. In the new era, it is hoped that Wuxi will continue to use cherry blossom as a media and continuously expand its circle of friends for international exchanges, promote Wuxi’s economic and social development, and carry out friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between China and other countries in more fields and at a higher level, so as to contribute to regional prosperity and world peace, as well as a community with a shared future for mankind. Mme. Bo Suning, President of Jiangsu People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Mr. Lu Zhijian, Vice Mayor of Wuxi, consul generals of the United States, Japan and other 7 countries in Shanghai, representatives of the Japanese industrial and commercial circles, representatives of Wuxi’s friendship cities and representatives of overseas students in Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, totaling over 300 people, attended the opening ceremony.     Photographed by Fu Bo  

On March 26th, the 2nd China-Morocco Friendship Forum, co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Morocco-China Friendship and Exchange Association (MCFEA) and the Souss Massa Region was held in Agadir. The forum was held on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Morocco, with attention and support from King Mohamed VI. The theme of the forum is "Morocco: the Gate of Chinese Belt and Road Initiatives in Africa ". Vice President Lin Yi of the CPAFFC, President Mohamed Khalil of the MCFEA , Minister Mohamed Sajid of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy, Secretary of State to the Minister Jamila El Moussali of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts, Social Economy, Handicrafts and Social Economy, Secretary of State to the Minister Mbarka Bouaida of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests (in charge of Maritime Fisheries), Wali Ahmed Hajji of the Souss Massa Region, and President Brahim Hafidi of the Souss Massa Region Council spoke respectively. Chinese Ambassador to Morocco Li Li was also present at the forum and delivered a speech. Both sides reviewed the progress of bilateral relations in the past 6 decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties and expressed the common willingness to promote the construction of "Belt and Road Initiative" through local government cooperation and people-to-people friendly exchanges. More than 400 people from 17 provinces and cities of China and over 10 provinces and cities of Morocco, including local government leaders, representatives of culture, trade and economic circles attended the forum.  

On March 23, the reception in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relationship between China and Benin, co-hosted by CPAFFC and the Embassy of Benin in China, was held in Beijing. 40 guests in total, including Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr. Xiao Han, Deputy Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Simon Adovelande, Ambassador of Benin to China, diplomats of Benin Embassy, representatives of Benin nationals in China attended the reception. Mme. Lin Yi said in her speech that over the past 45 years, with the strengthening of high-level mutual political trust and the rapid growth of bilateral trade, China has become a major trading partner and investment source of Benin. The pragmatic cooperation in various fields between the two countries has scored fruitful results and brought substantial benefit to the two peoples. China and Benin share similar development goals. It is hopeful that the two countries join hands to embark on a new journey of forging a community with shared future for mankind. Ambassador Adovelande stressed that the 45th anniversary of resumption of Benin-China diplomatic relations has provided an opportunity to recall the harmonious bilateral relations in the history and to discuss about the new cooperation opportunities in the future. Benin will actively participate in the Belt and Road initiatives, enhance the pragmatic cooperation with China and develop Benin-China cooperation into a role model for South-South cooperation.

Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Mr. Mamytov, Chairman of the Kyrgyz Republic’s People’s Assembly on the invitation of Shaanxi Normal University on March 23rd, 2018. Secretary General Li expressed welcome on behalf of CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin to Chairman Mamytov paying a visit to CPAFFC, and thanked Chairman Mamytov for making actively contributions to promote the friendly relationship between Kyrgyz and China. Secretary General Li made an introduction about the aims of CPAFFC and CCAFA (China-Central Asia Friendship Association), and the exchanges with Kyrgyz in recent years, and in particular about the exchanges of the two countries in the fields of people-to-people, humanity and culture and etc.. Chairman Mamytov said, Kyrgyz considers China as the prior cooperation partner. Under the personal promotion of the two heads of state, bilateral relations developed smoothly and rapidly. At present, China invests and builds a series of pragmatic cooperation programs in Kyrgyz, which are benefit to the Kyrgyzstan people. The Kyrgyz Republic’s People’s Assembly would like to establish a close and friendly cooperation relationship with CPAFFC, and make contributions to enhance the friendship of the two peoples, especially that of the minorities. Mr. Lv Hongwei, Deputy Director-General of Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, diplomats from Kyrgyzstan Embassy in China, attended the meeting.