On October 10, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a collective meeting with former President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, and leaders of friendship organizations from Latin American and Caribbean countries, who were invited to China to attend the China International Friendship Conference and the 70th Anniversary Celebration of CPAFFC.
President Yang expressed his gratitude to former President Lasso and the distinguished guests for traveling long distances to participate in the celebrations. He praised their long-standing efforts in promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and Latin America. President Yang emphasized that China and Latin America are comprehensive cooperation partners committed to advancing equality, mutual benefit, and shared development. The two sides have consistently extended strong support to each other on major issues concerning their core interests, standing together in solidarity during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and building a deep and enduring friendship between their peoples. Over the past 70 years since the founding of the CPAFFC, friendship organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean have worked closely with the CPAFFC, making tireless efforts to enhance exchanges and cooperation in culture, youth engagement, sister city partnerships, trade, and technology. President Yang affirmed the CPAFFC’s commitment to taking the 70th anniversary as a new starting point to strengthen collaboration with these organizations, continuing to write a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of China and Latin America, and advancing the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future.
Former President Lasso and other friends from the region extended warm congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the CPAFFC. They highly praised the CPAFFC’s active role in promoting mutual understanding and friendship among nations and deepening exchanges and cooperation across various sectors. They expressed their hope that this visit would enable them to better understand and learn from the latest achievements and experiences of Chinese modernization. Looking forward, they expressed a desire to strengthen communication, coordination, and mutual visits with the CPAFFC, jointly contributing to the cause of China-Latin America friendship, achieving new outcomes, and bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both regions.
Sun Tao, Deputy Director-General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the CPAFFC, accompanied President Yang at the meeting.
