CPAFFC Vice President Hu Sishe met in CPAFFC with Min-On delegation with 7 members led by Mr. Hisao Kondo, Council Member of Min-On on September 5. Vice President Hu Sishe first conveyed President Li Xiaolin’s greetings to Mr. Ikeda Daisaku and other members of Min-On. Vice President Hu also spoke highly of outstanding cooperation  had been made with Min-On over the past 40 years. He said that the friendly exchanges and better interaction of the two peoples could promote the cooperation of the two countries and improve the bilateral relations. The dance drama, Crested Ibis, organized by CPAFFC made a tour performance in Japan in 2015, which played the role in promoting the friendly exchanges of the two countries. He hoped that the two organizations could continuously strengthen the cooperation in the future and find excellent works of art of the two countries which really play a bridge to exchanges for two countries.  Hisao Kondo conveyed the Ikeda Daisaku’s greetings. Mr. Ikeda Daisaku is the founder of Min-On. It had been 20 years since he was conferred as the title of Friendship Ambassador in 1996，by CPAFFC． He has been appreciating the trust and support from CPAFFC and firmly believed that with the common efforts of the two organizations, the friendship of the two countries must be promoted. Mr. Hisao Kondo also expressed that the Chinese excellent works of art, such as the dance drama, Red Ibis, which had been dispatched over the decades by CPAFFC, showed the Chinese People’s broad-minded, pure and kind-hearted to the Japanese people. In the future, the two organizations will make common efforts to present the best works of art to the audience. After visiting Beijing, Min-On delegation would go to Yunnan Province to develop culture exchange.

CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu met with Japanese ink painting delegation led by ABE TOSHIKO member of Japanese House of Representatives and the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan in the afternoon of September 1. Vice President Song Jingwu extended his warm welcome to the delegation and gave a positive evaluation to ABE TOSHIKO’s efforts on promoting cultural exchanges between China and Japan. Vice President Song also said that with Mme ABE TOSHIKO’s great effort, Japanese Kabuki delegation visited China and performed with Beijing Opera last year, which displayed a grand performance to Chinese audience and achieved a complete success. Art is a language without border for two countries and the best bridge for communication between the souls. Vice President Song hoped that after the ink painting delegation visiting China, the exchanges of the two countries would be further strengthened, and this make an active contribution to pushing the feelings and development of the two countries. ABE TOSHIKO thanked Vice President Song Jingwu for taking his time to meet the delegation, as well as CPAFFC and CJFA made the thoughtful arrangements for this visiting. She said that each painter of the delegation is eager to enhance the mutual understanding between the two counties in the field of ink painting through this visiting. They are willing to consider culture exchange as a bond and make unremitting efforts on promoting the mutual understanding and passing down the long-standing friendship from generation to generation. The painter OTANI NANKA expressed that Chinese friends’ gracious hospitality let us feel warm and she would share her experiences in China with her family and friends after returning back to Japan. She will also expand the friend circle of the two peoples. The delegation visited China at the invitation of CPAFFC.  

Vice President Xie Yuan met with Mr. Duncan McIntosh, Executive President of Canada China Friendship and Goodwill Association (CCFGA) on Oct. 31, 2016.  Vice President Xie introduced the planning conception and new progress for establishing the Mechanisms for Canada-China Provincial Leaders Exchanges and Cooperation, and expressed his appreciation for CCFGA’s efforts in promoting exchanges and collaboration between China and Canada at sub-national level. Duncan McIntosh agreed with Mr. Xie that 2016 was a landmark year in the bilateral relationship between China and Canada, which witnesses an increasing enthusiasm on pragmatic cooperation with China from most of the provinces in Canada. Canada-China Friendship and Goodwill Association wished to continue to work together with CPAFFC on the establishment of Mechanisms for Canada-China Provincial Leaders Exchanges and Cooperation. 

CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu met in CPAFFC with Mr. TAKAMI FUMIO, Vice President of GEN and his delegation on August 31st. Vice President Song Jingwu spoke highly of the contributions made by TAKAMI FUMIO to supporting the Chinese greening cause for a long time. Vice President Song said that TAKAMI FUMIO insisted in carrying out the tree planting campaign in Datong, Shanxi Province for decades on end and tried to assist the local to improve the severe natural environment so as to improve people’s quality of life, which is regarded as working in contemporary era, while benefiting for future generations. Mr.TAKAMI FUMIO’ kindness behavior made contributions to enhancing the mutual understanding and friendly feelings of the two peoples. In order to commend TAKAMI FUMIO’ outstanding contributions to the people-to-people friendship work of the two countries, China and Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) decided to confer the title of China-Japan Friendship Ambassador to Mr. TAKAMI FUMIO. Vice President Song also hoped that under the inspiration of the spirit of Mr. TAKAMI FUMIO, there will be more people from the two countries involving in the China-Japan friendship cause so as to make the spirit of China-Japan friendship pass from generation to generation. Mr. TAKAMI FUMIO thanked CPAFFC and CJFA for highly appreciating to his cause. He reviewed the efforts and moving stories during the carrying out the tree planting campaign in Datong and expressed that he would consider the opportunity of being conferred the title of China-Japan Friendship Ambassador as a new start and continuously support the greening environmental protection cause and make efforts for China-Japan friendship. After the meeting, CJFA held a ceremony and conferred the title of China-Japan Friendship Ambassador to TAKAMI FUMIO. More than 130 people, including Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC, Mr. Liu Deyou, former Vice-Minister of Ministry of Culture, Mr. Liu Hongcai, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr. Cao Weizhou, the Vice-Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of National People’s Congress, Mr. YAMAMOTO TAKASHI, Minister of the Embassy of Japan in China and representatives from all walks of life of the two countries, attended the conferring ceremony.

On August 27th, the opening ceremony of 2016 China International Taichi·Yoga Convention, hosted by the China India Friendship Association (CIFA), was held in Tangshan, Hebei Province. Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Lin Xiaohai, council member of CIFA and secretary general of China International Yoga Convention, together with 450 yoga lovers attended the opening ceremony. In her speech, Vice president Lin Yi said that China International Taichi·Yoga Convention, formerly known as China International Yoga Convention, had been successfully held nine times, making a great contribution to the cultural exchanges among China, India and other countries across the world. From this year on, the convention is formally named as “China International Taichi·Yoga Convention”, which demonstrates a profound understanding of the two sports. Acting as the bridge of cultural communication between China and India, Taichi and Yoga will definitely help promote the mutual understanding and friendly relations. At the opening ceremony, the champion of Yoga Asana Competition, the successor of Chen Style Taichi and other performers offered a wonderful show.  

On August 25, the CPAFFC together with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN Committee in Beijing (ACB) hosted the reception in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations in Fangfei Garden of Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. State Counselor Yang Jiechi, President Gu Xiulian of China-ASEAN Association, President Li Xiaolin of CPAFFC, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, Vice President Lin Yi of CPAFFC, Ms. Magdalene Teo, Rotating Chair of ACB and Ambassador of Brunei and other ambassadors and diplomats of ASEAN countries’ Embassies to China attended the reception with other 300 Chinese and foreign guests. Before the reception, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with ASEAN ambassadors and representatives in Beijing, saying bilateral relations have made big strides over the past 25 years and contributed to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Yang said, China is willing to take the opportunity and work with ASEAN to hold a successful commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of the dialogue relationship in September this year and to advance bilateral relations to a higher level. President Li Xiaolin and Ambassador Magdalene Teo delivered a speech at the reception respectively. Li said that China-ASEAN relations made huge progress and harvested fruitful cooperation in the past 25 years. The Chinese side is willing to work with ASEAN to further the development of bilateral relations. The CPAFFC would like to make full use of its advantages and contribute to the enhancement of public opinions between China and ASEAN. Ambassador Teo said that the ASEAN-China relations enjoyed rapid progress in past 25 years and have already set up over 40 mechanisms of cooperation, which brought tangible benefit to the people of both sides. ASEAN appreciates Chinese government’s support in the ongoing ASEAN community building efforts in achieving the vision of 2035 and ASEAN centrality.  ASEAN is happy to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and jointly build a closer ASEAN-China Community of Common Destiny.

In the name of China-Central Asia Friendship Association (CCAFA), the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) co-hosted a seminar on 25th Anniversary of Uzbekistan Independence & Development of China and Uzbekistan Relationship in Beijing on August 25th jointly with China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Institute of European and Asian Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Science (IEASCASS), Uzbekistan Embassy in China. Mr. Song Jingwu, the Vice President of CPAFFC and the Vice President of CCAFA, Mr. Kurbanov, Uzbekistan Ambassador to China and others attended the seminar and delivered speeches respectively. Vice President Song Jingwu said in his speech that under the leadership of Uzbekistan President Karimov since  independence, the people of Uzbekistan had achieved great results in the various causes of the county construction through making unremitting efforts. During Chinese President Xi Jinping’ s state visit in Uzbekistan in June this year, the two Presidents made a joint decision of further enhancing the bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership, and this is another important milestone in the history of the bilateral relations. Ambassador Kurbanov stressed in his speech that Uzbekistan had made great achievements in the aspects of democratization construction, deepening reform, economy optimization, modernization construction and improving the living standard of ordinary people since it was independent 25 years ago. Uzbekistan considers China as one of the important  cooperative partners. The two leaders enhanced the relations of the two countries to comprehensive strategic partnership in June this year, which showed a broad prospect of the two countries’ cooperation for further develop in various fields .      The participants also had an in-depth discussion on the topics of achievements and experience had acquired since it was independent 25 years ago, the Silk Road Economic Belt and China-Uzbekistan cooperation, the opportunities and challenges between China and Uzbekistan in new times and etc.. More than 50 people, including leaders from China Institute of International Studies, Institute of European and Asian Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Science, Development Research Center of the State Council, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Uzbekistan Institute of Strategic Studies, council members of China-Central Asia Friendship Association, representatives from fields of academy and media  and diplomats of Uzbekistan Embassy in China, attended the activity. 

On August 25th, the awarding ceremony of “One Belt One Road Initiative and Sri Lanka” Essay Competition was held in Beijing. Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC, and Mr. Abeysekera, President of the Association for Sri Lanka- China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC) attended the ceremony. ASLCSCC, as the host of the nationwide competition, selected 3 winners from Sinhala, Tamil and English language competitors. The top award was a trip to China. At the ceremony, Vice President Lin Yi and President Abeysekera presented the winners prizes as well as certificates.

The Launching Ceremony of the 5th China-Indian Joint Medical Mission (JMM) was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi on August 23rd. Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries , Mr. Liuchanglin, Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province, Madame Vanaja Thekkat, Councilor of Embassy of India in China , twenty doctors of JMM and representatives of the health care industry in Jiangxi Province, and another one hundred people attended the ceremony. At the ceremony, Vice President Lin Yi said that JMM has already become an excellent example of our joint humanitarian approach focusing on the disadvantaged groups since its establishment in 2008, and we should follow Dr. Kotnis’ heroic deeds and pass on the friendship between China and India to the next generation. In his speech, Vice Governor Liu Changlin mentioned that having the JMM carried out in Jiangxin would be a new way of improving the well-being of the general public. Also, what we are doing is to carry forward Dr. Konit’s international humanitarian through practical action, which would surely promote the corporation and communication between Chinese and Indian people. During the ceremony, Ms. Lin, together with Mr. Liu conferred the team flag and certificates to the twenty doctors. Also, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Hospital donated medicine to them. After the ceremony, the doctors are going to the rural areas of Jiangxi to provide free medical consultation and free medicine, as well as deliver medical service.    

On August 22, Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of CPAFFC, met with the delegation headed by Dato Abdul Majit Ahmad Khan, President of Malaysia-China Friendship Association (PPMC). Madame Lin sang a high praise of the active contributions made by PPMC in deepening China-Malaysia traditional friendship and cooperation in various fields. She hoped that the two sides advance their cooperation in a bid to push forward the China-Malaysia as well as China-ASEAN friendship relations.  Madame Lin extended warm welcome to the 800-member friendship delegation headed by Dato Majit and wished the visit a success. Dato Majit said that the aim of his visit is to enable the Malaysian people learn more about China’s urban development.  PPMC is willing to strengthen its cooperation with CPAFFC on both level bilateral and China-ASEAN framework.  Dato Majit also said that, in order to make the Malaysians, especially the Malays to obtain a better understanding of China, PPMC is working with the Chinese Embassy and other institutions for translating Chinese President Xi Jinping’s works into Malay and shooting documentary on Malaysia-China friendship.