President Li Xiaolin met with Kaseimbekov, director general of Kazakhstan president’s office and chief librarian of the first Kazakhstan presidential library on 13th, April. President Li Xiaolin welcomed director general Kaseimbekov to visit China and made a brief introduction of the principals of the CPAFFC and the work done by CPAFFC recently. She expressed that CPAFFC paid attention to keep close cooperation with relevant organizations of Kazakhstan and developed the activities of enhancing the mutual understanding and friendship between the people of our two countries. She also hoped to receive the great support from the first Kazakhstan president library led by director general Kaseimbekov and other organizations.  Kaseimbekov thanked President Li Xiaolin for taking her time to meet him. He said that they would like to establish the friendly cooperation with CPAFFC and jointly engage in strengthening the cultural exchanges between China and  Kazakhstan as well as deepening the friendship of people of  two countries. Mr. Shen Xin, deputy director general of the Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. Shakhrat Nuryshev, Kazakhstan ambassador to China attended the meeting.

President Li Xiaolin met with Wang Lu, President and CEO of Walmart Global eCommerce-Asia on April 11, 2016.  President Li pointed out that CPAFFC has maintained long-time cooperation with multinational corporations such as Walmart. By working with CPAFFC, multinationals have made positive contributions to public welfares of China while developing their own businesses. She also hoped that Walmart fully utilize its own advantages to explore new ways to help promote people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. President Wang made a brief introduction of Walmart eCommerce development in China. He also expressed Walmart’s desire to participate in CPAFFC-sponsored projects such as Muscatine Scholarship, in an effort to help nurture talents for China-U.S. people-to-people diplomacy.

President Li Xiaolin met with Mr. Neil Bush, third son of 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush, on April 7, 2016. President Li said, your father, 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and your brother, 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush, both attach great importance to China-US relations, and had made outstanding contribution to the sound development of the relationship. CPAFFC and Texas A&M University have successfully hold 6 China-US Relations Conference together with generous support from the Bush family. We hope to receive continuous support from your family for the 7th China-US Relations Conference scheduled in 2017, and jointly help build new type of major country relations between our two countries. Neil Bush said his father and brother both view US-China relationship as the most important bilateral relationship in the world, and their frequent visit to China after leaving office is strong evidence of their focus on US-China relations. He looks forward to working with CPAFFC to host the 7th China-US Relations Conference in 2017.

President Li Xiaolin met with Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Honorary President of Falcon and Associates in Dubai on March 25th. President Li briefed Minister Al Hashimy about the recent progress of the collaborative projects between CPAFFC and Falcon, including Dubai week in China, Dubai Business Internship and Dubai 100 etc., expressed the willingness of deepen the collaboration with Dubai in the future. Minister Al Hashimy appreciated the support and assistance from President Li and CPAFFC to Dubai and Falcon all along, and said that she would make all efforts to promote more cooperation between Falcon and CPAFFC in more fields. President Li’s visit to Dubai is at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attending the Dubai World Cup Cultural Week.

On February 29, President Li Xiaolin met with Mr. Simon Pang, president of U.S.-Sino Friendship Association (USFA). President Li spoke highly of the positive role played by USFA in advancing local government exchanges and cooperation and enhancing mutual understanding between the people of China and United States, by organizing a number of US mayors delegation to China. She hoped that USFA could further expand its working channels in the US, so as to help more US politicians as well as the general public to gain comprehensive understanding on China. Simon Pang expressed sincere thanks to CPAFFC for its continuous support to USFA. USFA will stay committed in promoting US-China sister city development and pragmatic cooperation. Mr. Xu Peng, chairman of the Board of Mebo International Group，highly commended the fruitful results of CPAFFC in carrying out people-to-people exchanges between China and the world, and expressed the wish to join the “Every Woman Every Child” China Partnership Network initiated by CPAFFC in the aim of promoting health of women and children in China.

President Li Xiaolin met with Vice President Thomas Banchoff of Georgetown University on February 29, 2016. Vice Minister Hao Ping of Ministry of Education, Vice President Yang Bin of Tsinghua University, Vice Chairman Yang Xiaoping of Charoen Pokphand Group and First Officer Xu Yicheng of the Partnership Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN attended the meeting. President Li Xiaolin said that the cooperation between CPAFFC and Georgetown University dates back from the years before the official establishment of diplomatic ties between China and U.S. By expanding people-to-people and academic exchanges, both organizations have helped enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two countries. CPAFFC has the wishes to strengthen the cooperation with Georgetown University by holding small-scale, high-level and in-depth discussions and dialogues, to advance intellectual and institutional support for the development of bilateral relations and global governance. Vice President Banchoff introduced Georgetown University’s new Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues, which aims at solving global problems and challenges by promoting dialogues in public policies, business and academics between the two countries. He also hoped the university actively participate in related activities sponsored by CPAFFC, fully utilizing its academic strength and excellent location in Washington, DC, to further enhance academic exchanges and political mutual trust between U.S. and China .

President Li Xiaolin met with Mr. Doh Youn Ho, Secretary General of Governors Association of Korea (GAOK) on February 24. They exchanged ideas on hosting the first China-Korea Governors Conference. Madame Lin Yi, Vice President of CPAFFC, was present at the meeting. President Li extended warm welcome to Mr. Doh’s visit to CPAFFC and recalled her previous visits to Korea and her meeting with ROK President Park Geun-hye in particular.  She confirmed CPAFFC’s support to GAOK’s proposal of holding the first China-Korea Governors Conference in Korea. President Li also pointed out that substantive exchanges are conducive to the success of the Conference.  Mr. Doh expressed gratitude for CPAFFC’s remarkable contributions in promoting exchanges between China-Korea local governments. He emphasized the great importance and high expectation attached by GAOK to the above mentioned Conference.  Mr. Doh said that GAOK will invite leaders from all 17 local governments from Korea to attend the Conference and discuss issues of mutual concern with Chinese counterparts. The Korean side is looking forward to valued assistance of CPAFFC in organizing Chinese local government leaders to attend the Conference.

On 22nd February, President Li Xiaolin of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with H.E. Ms Barbara Wood, British Ambassador to China. The two sides have extensively exchanged views on hosting the China-UK Regional Leaders Exchange Programme and promoting the two countries’ comprehensive exchanges and cooperation. Ambassador Wood thanked President Li and the CPAFFC’s support for China-UK cooperation in various fields, and pointed out that local governments cooperation constitutes an important component of bilateral relations. She will work with the CPAFFC to promote the in-depth and comprehensive development of bilateral relations. President Li introduced the CPAFFC’s exchanges conducted with the UK in different fields and with people from all walks of life, and shared her observations on the CPAFFC’s promoting high-level exchanges, economic and trade ties, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and friendship city cooperation. She expressed willingness to work with all sectors in the UK to deliver practical results from the two countries’ local governments cooperation, and make it one of the highlights of the China-UK Golden Era. CPAFFC’s Vice President Mr Song Jingwu, Deputy Director General of the European and Asian Department, Mr Shen Xin and Ms Zhang Ruoning attended the meeting.

At the invitation of Prince Alwaleed, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia, President Li Xiaolin led a CPAFFC delegation to visit Saudi Arabia from February 16th to 20th. During the visit, President Li met with Prince Alwaleed, visited Kingdom Hospital, Kingdom School and held working talks with Alwaleed Philanthropies.   During the meeting with Prince Alwaleed, President Li mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping just paid a very successful state visit to Saudi Arabia last month. The two sides issued the Joint Statement on the Establishment of China-Saudi Arabia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, thus providing a historic opportunity to enrich people-to-people friendship between the two countries. CPAFFC is willing to establish cooperation with Kingdom Holding Company in charity, cultural and educational cooperation, local governments exchanges and other various areas to enhance people-to-people friendship between China and Saudi Arabia. Prince Alwaleed warmly welcomed President Li and the delegation to visit Saudi Arabia. He completely agreed with President Li’s comments on the bilateral relations and hoped to launch multi-level and broad-area cooperation with CPAFFC. He wished to pay a visit to China in the near future and have in-depth discussions with Chinese leaders and President Li about China-Saudi Arabia relations and people-to-people cooperation. President Li Xiaolin meeting with Prince Alwaleed President Li Xiaolin visiting the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, the world’s highest building under construction

President Li Xiaolin met with H.E. Mrs. Fay Pickersgill, new Jamaican Ambassador to China on February 3rd.  President Li extended warm welcome to Mrs. Pickersgill, old friend of CPAFFC and President of Jamaica-China Friendship Association, for taking office as Jamaican Ambassador to China. She fondly recalled her previous three visits to Jamaica. CPAFFC will continue to focus on building friendly relations with Jamaica, and would like to work together with Ambassador Pickersgill to push forward the friendly partnership of common development between the two countries.   H.E. Ambassador Pickersgill said that she will continue to work with CPAFFC during her term in China to jointly promote mutual understanding and friendship between Jamaica and China.