On Oct. 30th, Mr. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director General met with Mr. Earl Bousque, President of Saint Lucia-China Friendship Association. The both sides held discussion on the friendly exchanges on the areas of tourism, education, arts and sister cities between the two countries.

On October 30, Vice President Song Jingwu met with Delegation of Association of Cultural Centers of Rencounter (ACCR) of France led by its Chairman Yves Dauge. Vice President Song spoke highly of ACCR's efforts and contributions to promoting Sino-French cultural exchange, especially in the area of Chinese heritage protection and reuse. The aims of ACCR are heritage protection and cultural exchange by making protective and exploiting plans for local governments and recruiting ACCR members. In November 2014, CPAFFC and ACCR signed cooperative agreement. By now ACCR has taken in the 1895 Culture Creative Industry Park of Nantong City of Jiangsu Province as its first Chinese member.

On 29th October, Vice President Song Jingwu met with Mr. José Luis García Galán, the new Minister of the Spanish Embassy. Vice President Song briefly introduced the main functions of the CPAFFC, reviewed a series of effective activities co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the Spanish Embassy, especially the 8th China-Spain Forum which were successfully held in Madrid this April. José Luis García Galán expressed that China-Spain Forum is the most important platform of two countries, however, the forum is not the only method. The Spanish Embassy is willing to implement outcomes of the the Forum with CPAFFC, constantly open up new areas of cooperation to make more contribution to the friendship between China and Spain.

On 25th October, Vice President Song Jingwu attended the Opening Ceremony of the Danish Culture Center in the 798 Art District. On the meeting with the Danish Foreign Minister Mr. Kristian Jensen, Mr. Song briefly introduced the aim and main tasks of the CPAFFC, reviewed the reception and seminar which were successfully co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the Danish Embassy on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Denmark, expressed the willing of  promoting the regional cooperation and people to people exchange between China and Denmark. Minister Jensen said that people to people exchange is an important constituent part of the Chinese and Danish bilateral ties. Denmark is going to announce the year of 2017 and 2018 to be the Danish tourism years and hoping more Chinese tourists to come to Denmark and enhancing the mutual understanding between the two peoples. Minister Jensen and Vice President Song delivered speeches and together unveiled the nameplate of the Danish Culture Center.  

To further the development of and deepen the cooperation between China-U.S. sister cities, the Second China-U.S. Sister Cities Conference was cohosted by CPAFFC and SCI from October 22 to 23 in the City of Chicago in the U.S. Vice President Xie Yuan of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Consul General Zhao Weiping of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, Minister Counselor Heng Xiaojun of the Chinese Embassy to the U.S., Mayor Rahm Emanuel of the City of Chicago and President and CEO Mary Kane of Sister Cities International, as well as nearly 200 politicians, business leaders and scholars from 10 provinces of China and 25 states of the U.S. attended the conference. In his speech, Vice President Xie said, entrusted by the Chinese government, CPAFFC is responsible for the coordination and management of sister cities relations between Chinese cities and province and their counterparts abroad. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and US, 200 pairs of sister cities and 44 pairs of sister state and province have been established between the two countries. For the past more than 30 years, the growth of bilateral relations has been achieved through the support of local governments and their people. Going forward, it will continue to draw strength from and deliver benefits to them. As the major form of sub-national exchanges and cooperation, sister cities relations is going to play a unique role building major country relations between the two countries. Both sides should make the most out of this platform, enhancing pragmatic cooperation, starting a brilliant new page of friendship, cooperation and development for the provinces, states and cities of the two countries. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Shenyang Municipal Congress said in their speech that the 30-year history of sister cities relations has laid a solid foundation for further cooperation between the two cities. They hoped this conference could be a new starting point for strengthening friendship and deepening cooperation. Based on years of trade and economic cooperation, both cities should increase people-to-people exchanges, strengthening cultural, educational and business cooperation. In her remarks, SCI president and CEO Mary Kane reviewed the history of sister cities relations between the two countries, hoping that the sister cities continue pragmatic cooperation and friendly exchanges, promoting the development of U.S.-China relations. Consul General Zhao Weiping said, the conference was the first important meeting on China-U.S. sub-national cooperation since Chinese President Xi Jinping successfully visited the U.S., and it has special significance for development of and pragmatic cooperation between sister cities of the two countries. With the continuation of both sides’ efforts to build a new model of major country relations and the consistent prosperity of their economies, cities of both countries are blessed with opportunities for win-win cooperation.  The conference has been listed as one of the achievements of the 7th China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

  At the invitation of CPAFFC, a chamber music ensemble dispatched by Villa Musica, a state foundation of German Bundesland Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), visited China from October 16 to 23. Headed by the state secretory of Rheinland-Palatinate and the foundation’s head of board, Mr. Schumacher, the group staged concerts in Beijing, Suqian city of Jiangsu Province, and Fuzhou, Fujian Province. CPAFFC’s Vice President Hu Sishe and mayor of Suqian Wang Tianqi met with the delegation and attended the concerts. Vice president Hu expressed his wish for a long-lasting and innovative cooperation between Villa Musica and CPAFFC to enhance cultural exchanges among the peoples.   Distinguished violin professor Ervis Gega-Dodi, violist Fernando Arias-Parra, cellist Julian Bachmann, and pianist Meri Tschabaschwili played four piano and string quartets composed by Mozart, presenting the Chinese audience wonderful nights of classicism.   Villa Musica was established by the state government in 1986 and started its friendship with CPAFFC in 1993. Since then the two organizations have been exchanging young musicians for tour performances every other year. The concerts were held specifically in Suqian city, which became the sister city last month of Neuwied where Villa Musica locates; and in Fujian Province because of its friendly ties with Rheinland-Palatinate since 1995.   During the tour, Mr. Schumacher invited CPAFFC to send a troupe to Germany next year in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Villa Musica, and to join the state and city of Trier to hold cultural activities commemorating the bicentennial of Karl Marx’s birth.

  On the morning of Oct.22, Mr. Li Xikui，Secretary General of CPAFFC, met with Mr. Gu Yu, President of Bethune Medical Development Foundation of Canada. The aim of the Foundation is to promote Bethune’s internationalism spirit, support and promote the activities of ‘contemporary Bethune in Action’ in China, and introduce more ‘contemporary Bethune’ . All donation collected by the Foundation is put into organizing North American and European medical experts to conduct charity medical activities in China, or providing free oversea tutorial, medical exchange and scientific cooperation opportunities to Chinese medical staff.        President Gu Yu said, many Chinese doctors have reached world-class level so far, yet the lack of publicity and communication hinders the spreading of their reputation in Canada. Last year, the foundation invited the Chinese medical experts to University of Toronto for lectures, and got great positive reflection. Secretary General Li Xikui thanked Mr. Gu Yu’s contribution to the Chinese medical cause and China-Canada friendly exchange, and said further cooperation is highly expected in the future. Then, the two sides have discussion in some cooperation projects. Mr. Zhang Juxiang, Director of China Service Centre for Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries, also attended the meeting.

Australian Former Prime Minister, Chairperson of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Julia Gillard visited Beijing from October 21st to 22nd at the invitation of CPAFFC.   Vice Premier Liu Yandong met with Gillard on Oct. 22nd in Zhong Nanhai. Liu pointed out that early childhood education (ECE) is a global concern. She briefed Gillard the achievements China had made in this field, and called for international collaboration to further promote the popularization and quality of ECE in China. Gillard said that GPE would actively develop tangible cooperation with China. CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin attended the meeting.   The main purpose for Gillard’s visit to China was to attend The Fourth International Conference on Poverty Reduction and Child Development which was co-hosted by China Development Research Foundation, Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood and “Every Woman Every Child” China Partnership Network. The theme of this conference was “A Bright Start for Every Child”. Vice Premier Liu Yandong attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. Gillard introduced in her speech the progress GPE had made to help children in developing countries to receive early childhood education.   Gillard also called on Madam Fu Ying, Chairperson of The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress. Gillard introduced the work of GPE and discussed with Fu of the future cooperation between the two organizations.

   On Oct. 22th, CPAFFC Vice President Song Jingwu met with Mr David Aptsiauri, Ambassador of Georgia to China. Vice President Song extended his welcome to Mr Aptsiauri for his visiting to CPAFFC, and introduced the basic status of the Association and its work to Georgia in recent years.   Mr Aptsiauri thanked Vice President Song for the meeting, He said that the relations between the two countries have developed rapidly in this year, and more government officials visited China. He hoped that the Cooperation of the Embassy and CPAFFC would be more successful. Mrs. Hu Chunmei, Associated Counsel of the Department of European and Asian Affairs, Mr. Babunashvili, Minister Counselor of Embassy of Georgia, attended the meeting.

On 21st  October, Vice President Song Jingwu met with Mr. Ettore Francesco Sequi, the New Ambassdor of Italy. The both sides held a discussion on the cooperation between China and Italy on local government communication, culture exchanges and people’s friendship. On the occassion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Italy, we believe that biliteral relations will reach a higher stage through joint effort.