On November 10th, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Embassy of Finland in Beijing jointly held a reception for the 65th anniversary of China-Finland diplomatic relations at the Great Hall of the People. Mr Luo Fuhe, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, Ms Maria Lohela, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, Mr. Wang Chao, Vice Foreign Minister, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of the CPAFFC, Ms Marja Rislakki, Finnish Ambassador to China, together with over 200 guests from the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Culture, General Administration of Customs, the delegation from the Parliament of Finland, diplomats from the Embassy of Finland, and representatives from all sectors attended the reception. Vice President of the CPAFFC Song Jingwu and Speaker of Parliament Lohela delivered speeches.   Song said in his speech that Finland was one of the first western countries to establish diplomatic ties with New China, and the very first western country to sign bilateral trade agreement with China. At present, China and Finland have reaped rich fruits in practical cooperation, and carried out vibrant people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The CPAFFC is willing to take the 65th anniversary of China-Finland diplomatic ties as an opportunity to work with Finland, expand and deepen cooperation in all fields, and contribute to the building of a new type of future-oriented cooperative partnership between the two countries. Lohela said that Finland and China share many common interests, and there is potential for even greater bilateral relationship. People-to-people exchanges and interaction form the foundation for all cooperation. Finland is willing to host more people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China to push forward China-Finland bilateral relations. Before the reception, Vice Chairman Luo Fuhe held a meeting with Speaker of Parliament Lohela, Ambassador Rislakki and other guests.           

On 9th November, Vice President Song Jingwu met with Prof. Andrea Nolan, President of Edinburgh Napier University. He welcomed the visit of President Nolan to the CPAFFC, briefly introduced the main functions and recent major works of the association and reviewed the China-UK Youth Exchange Project Ten Persons’ Stories which was successfully co-organized by the CPAFFC and the Edinburgh Napier University in 2014. He indicated that the recent successful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UK will encourage the cooperation between China and the UK in various fields. The CPAFFC will continue to promote the cooperation between China and the UK in the fields of local government, culture and people to people exchanges. Looking ahead of the 13th Five Year Plan, Chinese Central Government will devote major efforts to develop the higher education and deepen the agriculture reform, China may learn from the successful experiences of Scotland in the fields of education, agriculture and husbandry. President Nolan spoke highly of the long-term relationship between the Edinburgh Napier University and the CPAFFC. She said that the Napier University attaches great importance to the cooperation with Chinese universities, and hopes to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation in the fields of youth and culture between the Napier university and the CPAFFC.

Vice President Xie Yuan met with the delegation of National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) from the U.S. on November 9th , 2015. The delegation is led by NCSL President and Utah Senate President Pro Tempore Curtis Bramble, and composed of legislative leaders and members from six states including Utah, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada and Rhode Island. Vice President Xie Yuan said that the delegation’s visit is at the important juncture of China-U.S. relations. On the one hand, state relations provide important foundation for sub-national exchanges. With China-U.S. relations getting closer, the two countries have already established over 240 pairs of sister state/province and sister city relationship. On the other hand, sub-national relationship is the cornerstone of state relations, and provides great opportunities for people-to-people exchanges. The CPAFFC and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) of the United States have agreed to establish the China-U.S. Sub-National Legislatures Exchange Mechanism, and will sign the agreement in Florida next month. The two sides are planning to co-host the First China-U.S. Sub-National Legislatures Cooperation Forum in 2016. Over the years, CPAFFC and NCSL kept good cooperative relationship. It is hoped that the two sides will work together to further promote China-U.S. sub-national exchanges and legislatures exchanges.  Curtis Bramble said that, NCSL is composed of 7383 elective legislators and speaks collectively for U.S. states and territories. U.S.-China sub-national relationship is very important, and sub-national legislatures cooperation is one of its key components. At present, Utah and Liaoning have already established legislatures exchange and cooperation relationship. It is hoped that the two sides work together to expand this relationship among more states and provinces in the future. 

On the 6th, November 2015, the symposium commemorating the 100th anniversary of Professor Strazheva's birth  hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) was successfully held. China- Russia Friendship Association .Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice-President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC), Mr. Zhu Yuli, former general manager of the Aviation Industry Corporation and around 50 guests were present at the symposium.  

Vice President Xie Yuan held a meeting with California State Senator Robert Hertzberg on November 5th , 2015. Vice President Xie extended a warm welcome to Sen. Hertzberg. He briefed on recent efforts of the CPAFFC to promote sub-national exchanges and cooperation between China and U.S.. He said, sub-national relations are the cornerstone for the China-U.S. relationship. During President Xi’s state visit to the U.S., President Xi attended the Third China-U.S. Governors Forum in Seattle organized by the CPAFFC. It showed that the Chinese leaders attach great importance to the China-U.S. subnational relations. In addition, the CPAFFC and the  State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) of the United States have agreed to establish the Exchange Mechanism for China-U.S. Sub-National Legislatures. The two sides are planning to co-host the First China-U.S. Province-State Legislative Exchange Forum in 2016. Sen. Hertzberg thanked Vice President Xie for meeting with him and commended the positive contribution made by the CPAFFC in promoting China-US subnational exchanges and cooperation.He also expressed wish to work with the CPAFFC to enhance win-win cooperation between the two countries.

   Vice President Xie Yuan met with Fred Cohen, Chairman of the International Academy of Television Arts＆Sciences, on November 4th ,2015. Vice President Xie extended a warm welcome to Mr. Cohen. He briefed on recent efforts of the CPAFFC to promote sub-national and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between China and U.S., hoping to cooperate with Mr. Cohen’s office in strengthening China-US cultural exchanges.    Mr. Cohen thanked Vice President Xie for meeting with him. He introduced his another responsibility as chairman of PCI-Media Impact, which played an active role in fighting the Ebola disease by using soap opera. He also expressed wish to work with the CPAFFC in various forms to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

On November 2nd, Vice President Xie Yuan met with the delegation of Association of Communes of Romania (A.Co.R). Vice President Xie expressed warm welcome to the delegation. He said since the signing of the MOU between China International Friendship Cities Association (CIFCA) and A. Co. R last November during the 2014 China International Friendship Cities Conference, the two sides have maintained close & frequent contacts. During the visit by CIFCA to Romania this July, the delegation received warm hospitality from A.Co.R. Vice President Xie hoped that through the visit, the two associations can deepen the friendship, promote mutual understanding, and enhance exchanges and cooperation. Entrusted by the Chinese government, the CIFCA is responsible for coordinating and managing the friendship-city relations between China and foreign countries, and has helped establish 30 affiliations of friendship states and cities between China and Romania. CIFCA will make greater efforts to help forge more friendship cities between our two countries in the future.   President Draghici of A.Co.R. thanked the CIFCA for its invitation and hospitality to his delegation. He said that A.Co.R. is devoted to creating a tighter relation between local authorities of Romania. The delegation members are from different Romanian communes and represent the good will of their own communes to cooperate with their Chinese counterparts. By visiting cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin and connecting with local authorities, they hope to lay a solid foundation for win-win cooperation in the future.

On November 2, Vice President Song Jingwu met with the delegation of veterans of Kazakhstan led by B.B.Mukushev, Vice President, Association of Veterans Organization in Kazakhstan. On behalf of CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin, Vice President Song Jingwu welcomed guests, appreciated monumental contribution of Kazakhstan veterans to China in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, expressed that the Chinese people will never forget the friendship of Kazakhstan and China cemented with blood, hoped that the two peoples in the best period of development of relations of China and Kazakhstan inherit the friendship forged in the war time from generation to generation. B.B.Mukushev expressed that great changes have taken place in China for the past 70 years. They highly appreciate the positive efforts of China in safeguarding world peace and stability. The delegation paid a visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese embassy in kazakhstan, they visited Urumqi, Shanghai, Harbin and Beijing. The three veterans fought  at the northeast battle field in China during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

'The First China-Japan Youth Chinese Calligraphy Exchange & Friendly Oath-Taking Ceremony’ was held in Beijing on Novermber 1st, 2015. Mr. Li Xikui, Secretary General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Mr. YASUSHI YAMAMOTO, Minister of the Embassy of Japan in China, Mr. Zhang Juxiang, Director General of the China Service Center for Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries (CSC),  attended the activity and delivered speeches. This activity was jointly held by CSC, Philia Non-Profitable Organization, and Kao (China) Holding Co.,Ltd..The activity was also received great support from the CPAFFC, Embassy of Japan in China, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, and Japanese Association in Beijing. One hundred young amateur calligraphers from China and Japan attended the activity. The youth were selected from Beijing Hepingli Ninth Primary School, Beijing Yue Tan Middle School, University of International Business and Economics, Embassy Affiliated Japanese School of Beijing, China, Beijing Japanese Students Association Beijing Japanese Student Association (BJSA).Together with each other, they created the “Oath to Friendship” with one hundred Chinese characters. Through each one writing one character, the youth expressed their wish for forever friendship between China and Japan. After the Chinese calligraphy exchanges had finished, those one hundred Chinese and Japanese youth took a solemn oath under the Peace Bell in the CPAFFC, and together stroke the bell 21 times, which expressed the young generation’s strong expectation for the friendship of the two countries in the 21st century. Mr. Li Chunbo, Council Member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, Mr. An Hongyu, Member of Beijing Calligraphers Association, and Mrs. RIE MAEDA, Committee Member of SOUSHINKAI, acted as judges in this Chinese Calligraphy activity, and granted the contestants gold, silver and bronze medals. Through Chinese calligraphy, the main purpose of this activity is to enhance the mutual exchange among the youth from China and Japan, to strengthen the public support of the friendship between the two countries, and to promote harmonious, peaceful and prosperous bilateral ties. Mr. NISIMIZU TORU, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in China, Mr. MINORU NAKANISHI, Chairman of Board of Directors of Kao(China) Holding Co., Ltd., Mr. SAKASITA  SIGENOBU, Chairman of Committee of Philia of Non-Profitable Organization, Mr. SHUYA OKUDA, Principal of the Embassy Affiliated Japanese School of Beijing, China, Mrs. Hou Lihua, Secretary of the Beijing Dongcheng District Hepingli Ninth Primary School and Mr. Liu Jingshen, Vice President of the Beijing Dongcheng District Hepingli Ninth Primary School, Mrs. Chen Zhen, Vice President of Beijing Yue Tan Middle School, and Mrs. Zhang Shanshan, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of International Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, attended the above activities.          

Initiated by Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Chinese Embassy in Turkey, the first delegation of China-Turkey Youth Friendship Envoy Project (consisting 15 members) visited China from October 26th to 31st. In Beijing, Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC met and hosted a welcome dinner for the delegation. The delegation also communicated with the students and teachers of Turkish Language Department in Asian and African School of Beijing Foreign Studies University, under the theme of "China in your eyes and Turkey in my eyes". Turkish Chanel of China Radio International conducted the interview and reported the activity. Besides Beijing, the delegation also visited Yinchuan and Shanghai. They met and communicated with Hui, Uygur, Kazak and other minorities students in the University of Northern Nationalities, and visited Heshun New Village of Liangtian Town in Jinfeng District and Islam Institute. Mrs. Bai Yuzhen, Deputy Director General of Foreign Affairs Office of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, met with the delegation. During in Shanghai, the delegation visited the Old Pier Creation Park.