As one of the activities held during 2016 China-Japan Exchange Month, YAMATO the Drummers of Japan performance, organized by Beijing Japan Foundation, which was held in Beijing on October 22th . CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu attended the activities and delivered a speech. Vice President Song Jingwu said in his speech that, strengthening and expanding the humanity exchanges between China and Japan will contribute to shortening the distance between the hearts of the two peoples and deepening the mutual trust, which play an important and unique role in consolidating the foundation of the public support of Sino-Japanese relations. He sincerely hoped that, the two countries should take this 2016 China-Japan Exchange Month as an opportunity to further strengthen the friendly exchanges and cooperation in humanity sector and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and Japanese people. Let the concept of Sino-Japanese friendship go deeply into the hearts of the people of the two countries, and push forward the long-term healthy development of their bilateral relations. Japanese Ambassador YOKOI YUTAKA expressed appreciation for support and assistance given by CPAFFC for the activities. He said that, the two countries should positively hold exchange activities in various levels, such as from government to people, in order to deepen mutual understandings of the two peoples, which build the Sino-Japanese relations under the new times.

On the noon of October 21st, Ms.Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC hosted banquet for the delegation of Society for Anglo-China Understanding(SACU）. Ms. Lin Yi welcomed SACU’s visit to China, reflected the friendship between CPAFFC and SACU for 4 decades and introduced CPAFFC’s recent work with the UK. She hopes that the cooperation between CPAFFC and SACU will further contribute to the friendship between the two peoples of China and the UK.    Mr. Christopher Henson, head of the delegation appreciated CPAFFC’s hospitality. He said that SACU has been dedicated to promoting the mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and the UK and will strengthen cooperation with CPAFFC.

Mr. Chen Yuan, Vice-Chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and President of China-Russia Friendship Association (CRFA) met with Mr. Mezencev, Member of Russia Federation Council (RFC) and Chairman of Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA) on October 20th. President Chen Yuan welcomed Chairman Mezencev to visit China and expressed that it was a great pleasure for him to meet Chairman Mezencev again in Beijing shortly after they separated last time. Chairman Mezencev thanked President Chen Yuan for taking time to meet him and made an introduction about the current work of RCFA and the working plan in the next stage. Both sides exchanged opinions on further strengthening the local exchanges between China and Russia, promoting the cooperation of the two countries in the fields of tourism, economics, trade, humanity and etc. and a series of activities to be held during the 60th anniversary of the establishment of RCFA in next year. Chairman Mezencev’s visit to China this time was to attend the 8th China Overseas Investment Fair. Mr. Shen Xin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr, Zhou Liqun, Vice President of CRFA and Deputy General Manager of China Cheng Tong Group, Mr. Zhou You, Deputy Director of Poly Culture Group Corporation Limited, Mr. Kozhemyako, Governor of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, Mr. Kovton, the representative of Gazprom and Mr. Shin, Senior Counsellor of Russian Embassy in China, attended the meeting.

On 19th October, Vice President Lin Yi of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Dr. Orlando Smith, Premier of the British Virgin Island.  President Lin extended welcome to Premier Smith, and briefed him on the CPAFFC’s work in people-to-people diplomacy and local government cooperation. Premier Smith thanked the CPAFFC for inviting him to visit China and for its considerate arrangements. He expressed willingness to establish contact with the CPAFFC to facilitate bilateal exchanges and cooperation. CPAFFC’s Deputy Director General of the European and Asian Department, Ms Zhang Ruoning attended the meeting.

In the morning of October 17th, CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi came to the Embassy of Kingdom of Thailand in China to express condolence to the passing away of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and inscribed on the condolence book. Vice President Lin Yi said to Karntimon Ruksakiati, Charge d’affasire ad interim of the Embassy of Kingdom of Thailand in China that King Bhumibol Adulyadej is a great friend of Chinese people and an excellent leader revered and loved and esteemed by the Thai people. On behalf of CPAFFC, China-ASEAN Association, China-Thailand Friendship Association, I extend to profound condolences over the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. We are willing to work with the Embassy of Kingdom of Thailand in China and the Thai friends to make common efforts to consolidate the China-Thailand traditional friendship and deepen the all-round strategic partnership of the two countries.

China-Latin America and Caribbean 2016 Year of Culture Exchange, China-Argentina Original Comic Art Exchange Exhibition, hosted by the CPAFFC and the Vi?etas Sueltas, undertook by the Beijing Total Vision Cultural Spreads Co. Ltd., was held successfully in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina from October 14 to 16. Deputy Director-General Ji Wei of the Cultural Exchange Department of the CPAFFC, Directo Marcelo Panozzo of Planification of Argentina Cultural Ministry, Director Oscar Smoje of Palais de Glace, Cultural Counselor Yang Chuanying of Chinese Embassy in Argentina,  Director Thomas Dassance of the Vi?etas Sueltas  attended the opening ceremony in the evening of October 14 and made speeches respectively. More than 100 audience from both home and abroad attended the opening ceremony and watched the exhibition.  In his speech, Deputy Director Ji Wei said, caricature is one of the most important forms for people to tell stories and disseminate culture. In recent years, China’s animation industry has been carrying out vigorous development, so it is a perfect time to hold the China-Argentina Original Comic Art Exchange Exhibition. The CPAFFC will continue to further promote cultural exchanges between China and Argentina through holding exhibitions and organizing exchange of visits of Chinese and Argentinian cartoonists.  The exhibition displayed a collection of 350 comic works from 5 countries, China, Italy, France, Argentina and the U.S., including 240 pieces of contemporary Chinese caricatures, 110 exquisite manuscripts. Among them, there was San Mao Joins The Army, a masterpiece by Mr. Zhang Leping, a famous cartoonist of China. In addition, more than 10 pieces of caricatures by peasant artists from Qiuxian County of Hebei Province, which was known as one of “three hometowns of caricature of China”, were displayed at the exhibition. Xinhua News Agency reported the exhibition. The project has been included in the “China-Latin America and Caribbean 2016 Year of Culture Exchange” and “China- Latin America and Caribbean Dialogue Mechanism of Civilizations” initiated by the Ministry of Culture of China.

At the invitation of Canada China Friendship and Goodwill Association, Vice President Xie Yuan led a delegation to visit Canada between Oct. 12 to 16. During the visit, the delegation met with representatives of Canada’s Premiers (also known as “the Council of the Federation”) and Canada China Friendship and Goodwill Association to exchange views on the establishment of the China Canada provincial leaders exchange mechanism. The delegation also had meetings with Bethune Canadian Alliance and the Canadian Fund for International Understanding through Culture. Moreover, Vice President Xie Yuan presented the admission notice of Harbin Institute of Technology and the fund certification of HIT Group to Mark Bethune, the grandnephew of Norman Bethune, in the witness of Mr. Wang Wentian, Charge d’Affair of Chinese Embassy to Canada. Vice President Xie Yuan and Mr. Wang Wentian, Charge d’Affair of the Chinese Embassy to Canada, presented the admission notice to Mark Bethune

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum reopened after renovation on Oct. 14 in Yorba Linda, California. Nearly 1,000 people, including Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai to the U.S., Chinese Consul General Liu Jian to Los Angeles, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Chairman Ed Royce of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Pete Wilson, former Governor of California, Winston Lord, former U.S. Ambassador to China, David Ferriero, U.S. Archivist, Ronald Walker, Chairman of Richard Nixon Foundation, William Baribault, President and CEO of Richard Nixon Foundation, family members of President Richard Nixon, representatives from various sectors of society, Yorba Linda citizens and the media, were present at the opening ceremony. Director General Zhang Heqiang of CPAFFC attended the event and read a congratulatory message by President Li Xiaolin to the Library. In her message, President Li extended her warm congratulations to the reopening of the Library. She said, President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972 thawed the diplomatic ice between China and the United States and opened a new chapter in our relations. For 40 plus years, our relationship has kept moving forward and become one of the most important dynamic bilateral relations in the world. President Nixon, therefore, is remembered and honored by the peoples of our two countries for his contributions to U.S.-China relationship. The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum was officially established in 1990. After this upgrade, it has become the presidential museum with the most advanced facilities in the U.S. It features more than 30 unique, multi-media experiences, 11 original films, 10 curated archival film sequences, more than 600 photographs, nearly 7.5 million-square meter wall murals and more than 300 artifacts.

On 13th Oct., Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs met with Mr. Ralph LATORTUE, the newly-arrived Permanent Representative of Haiti to China. Mr. Ji welcomed Mr. Ralph LATORTUE and briefly introduced CPAFFC’s work with Haitian side. The both sides exchanged opinions on cultural, arts and youth exchanges between the two countries. 

Hosted by China Service Center for Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries (CSC) of CPAFFC, the FIGS Graduate Schools Between China and France Meeting was held in Beijing from October 12 to 13. CPAFFC Vice President Hu Sishe met with Mr. Marc CASTAGNET, Director of FIGS and Mme. Benedicte FAVRE, Executive General Manager of FIGS. They had an in-depth discussion on the topic of the innovative cooperation between Graduate Schools of the two countries. Vice President Hu Sishe first made a brief introduction about the  people-to-people diplomacy work developed by CPAFFC in recent years. He stressed that the difficult problems the China educational sector confronted with and the development direction in the future. Vice President Hu expressed appreciation for the strategy of FIGS entering into the China educational market. He encouraged FIGS to work together with CSC to develop pragmatic cooperation so as to provide new inspiration and opportunities for the reform and innovation of China educational sector. Mme. Benedicte FAVRE also spoke highly of the work developed by CPAFFC and expressed appreciation for CSC’s bond role played in the cooperation of the educational exchanges between the two countries. At last, CSC signed a cooperation agreement with FIGS under the witness of Vice President Hu Sishe.