On October 9, 2024, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a collective meeting with several former foreign leaders who were in China to attend the China International Friendship Conference and the 70th Anniversary Celebration of CPAFFC.
President Yang welcomed and expressed his gratitude to the former leaders for attending the China International Friendship Conference and the 70th Anniversary Celebration of CPAFFC. He noted that humanity is currently facing multiple challenges and difficulties, which can only be overcome through enhanced unity and cooperation among nations. President Xi Jinping’s proposals, including building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, provide China’s solutions to addressing these common global challenges. The primary goal of this conference and the commemorative activities is to further solidify the consensus of the international civil society on building a community with a shared future for mankind. The CPAFFC, adhering to the principles of “Friendship, Cooperation, Peace, and Development”, is committed to strengthening pragmatic cooperation with civil forces across the world, injecting positive energy into global peace and development.
The former leaders commended President Xi Jinping’s forward-looking vision reflected in the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the three global initiatives, recognizing them as contributions of Chinese wisdom and solutions to global issues. They acknowledged China’s role in safeguarding world peace and promoting shared development. The former leaders also congratulated the CPAFFC on its 70th anniversary, expressing appreciation for its significant contributions to enhancing friendship between the peoples of China and other countries.
The meeting was attended by members of the InterAction Council, including Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; Bertie Ahern, former Prime Minister of Ireland; Petar Stoyanov, former President of the Republic of Bulgaria; Boris Tadi?, former President of Serbia; Danilo Türk, former President of Slovenia; Essam Sharaf, former Prime Minister of Egypt; and Peter Medgyessy, former Prime Minister of Hungary.
Vice President Shen Xin and Deputy Director-General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the CPAFFC of the CPAFFC, Sun Tao, were also present at the meeting.
