Vice President Jiang Jiang Attends Opening Ceremony of the "Celebrating Culture and Tourism Together" Qingdao International Friendship Cities Exchange Month
On July 19, 2025, the opening ceremony of the "Celebrating Culture and Tourism Together"?Qingdao International Friendship Cities Exchange Month was held in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Ren Gang, Mayor of Qingdao, and Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks.Vice President Jiang Jiang congratulated on the successful opening of the event. He emphasized that friendship city partnerships are an essential platform for promoting friendship between peoples, strengthening mutual trust, and deepening practical cooperation. China is advancing a path of urban modernization with Chinese characteristics, aiming to build innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart cities that serve the people. This ongoing transformation offers new opportunities for exchanges and cooperation between Chinese cities and their international friendship cities.?The?CPAFFC?is committed to serving as a bridge for international engagement, supporting Qingdao and other Chinese cities in expanding people-to-people and sectoral exchanges with their global counterparts in fields such as culture, youth, science and technology, economy and trade, and education. By tightening the bonds of friendship and strengthening networks of practical collaboration, the CPAFFC aims to?promote cooperation through friendship and drive development through cooperation, working together to build a peaceful, beautiful, and sustainable future.The "Celebrating Culture and Tourism Together"?Qingdao International Friendship Cities Exchange Month is hosted by the Qingdao Municipal People's Government, with the CPAFFC serving as a supporting partner. Representatives from 26 cities and institutions across 19 countries—including Germany, Belarus, Hungary, Japan, Ethiopia, New Zealand, and the United States—will participate in a series of related events.
Photo Highlights｜Peng Liyuan Attends the "Bond with Kuliang": 2025 China–U.S. Youth Friendship Event
On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Friendship Event?and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended?the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Friendship Event?and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.?Prior to the friendship event, Peng Liyuan?met with Elyn MacInnis?and Luca Berrone.On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended?the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Friendship Event?and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.?On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended?the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Friendship Event?and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.?On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended?the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Friendship Event?and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.?Peng Liyuan?took group photos with Chinese and American youth participants and other guests admist a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Closing Performance of the "Bond with Kuliang": 2025 China–U.S. Youth Choir Festival Held in Beijing
On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.On July 16, 2025, the closing performance of the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China–U.S. Youth Choir Festival was held at the China National Opera House in Beijing. Centered on the theme "Singing for Peace,"?the event brought together young participants from China and the United States, who raised their voices in harmony to celebrate youth, peace, and friendship through music.On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.On July 16, Chinese and American youth sing songs together at the China National Opera House.
Vice President Lu Xiangdong Meets with Emir of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Shafiqur Rahman
On July 14, 2025, Lu Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with a high-level delegation of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami led by its Emir, Shafiqur Rahman.?The two sides exchanged views on enhancing China-Bangladesh friendly relations, deepening people-to-people exchanges, and advancing subnational cooperation.Xu Yan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian and African Affairs of the CPAFFC, was present at the meeting.
U.S. Youth Choirs Visit Beijing as Part of the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival
On July 14, 2025, U.S. choirs participating in the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival arrived in Beijing. Under the thoughtful coordination of the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the choirs visited several leading institutions, including the China National Symphony Orchestra, Beijing University of Technology, the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, and Beijing No. 8 High School.At the China National Symphony Orchestra, Chinese and American youth observed a full orchestral rehearsal and attended a high-level masterclass in professional music performance.?At Beijing University of Technology, students from two?countries collaborated on musical arrangements featuring cultural elements and explored innovative fields such as modern architectural design and intelligent building control systems.?At the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, American youth immersed themselves in the essence of Chinese opera, trying out traditional stage props and learning foundational movement techniques.?At Beijing No. 8 High School, the young participants joyfully sang and shared their personal stories, raising their voices together in a heartfelt tribute to peace and friendship.Utah Valley University Choir visited the China National Symphony OrchestraBrigham Young University Women's Choir and Combined Choir visited Beijing University of TechnologySouthern Methodist University Choir and Wind Choir visited the National Academy of Chinese Theatre ArtsSt Genevieve High School Valiant?Voices and Pure N Heart visited Beijing No. 8 High School
Vice President Yuan Mindao Meets with Directors of the Beijing Office of CLAIR
On July 11, 2025, Yuan Mindao, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met with Chikamatsu?Shigehiro, outgoing Director of the Beijing Office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), and his successor, Tomohiko?Yamamoto.?The two sides exchanged views on jointly organizing the 26th Conference of Friendship Cities of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan, and on further promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between subnational governments and friendship cities of China and Japan across a wide range of fields.
U.S. Youth Choirs Visit Fuzhou Campuses as Part of the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival
On the morning of July 11, 2025, U.S. youth choirs participating in the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival visited several universities and secondary schools in Fuzhou, where they engaged in warm and lively exchanges with local students and faculty.?Together, the young participants explored elements of China's intangible cultural heritage, sang beloved songs in both Chinese and English, and built friendships through music, shared emotion, and heart-to-heart interaction. United in harmony, the youth from two?countries voiced their hopes for peace and lasting friendship through song.?Shen Xin, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), attended the activities.Tacoma Lincoln High School Choir visited Fuzhou Education College Affiliated High SchoolStadium High School Choir (Tacoma) visited Fuzhou Senior High SchoolSouthern Methodist University Choir visited Fujian Vocational College of ArtBrigham Young University Combined Choir and Women's Choir visited Fujian Normal UniversityUtah Valley University Choir and Pure N Heart Choir visited Minjiang UniversityOne Voice Choir visited Fuzhou No. 16 High SchoolSt. Genevieve High School?Valiant?Voices visited Fuzhou No. 11 High School
Vice President Jiang Jiang Meets with Chief Administrative Officer of Nepal's Lumbini Cultural Municipality Tara Gyawali
On July 10, 2025, Jiang Jiang, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with Tara Gyawali, Chief Administrative Officer of Lumbini Cultural Municipality, Nepal, Tara Gyawali was visiting China to attend the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting.?The two sides exchanged views on fully harnessing the role of cultural exchange as a bridge for enhancing people-to-people friendship between China and Nepal and advancing practical cooperation between subnational governments of the two countries.Qing Boming, Director-General?of the Department of Friendship City Affairs and Cultural Exchanges of the CPAFFC, was present at the meeting.
Vice President Lu Xiangdong Meets with Permanent Secretary of the Union Sacrée de la Nation (USN) and Head of the DRC-China Friendship Group in the National Assembly André Mbata
On July 10, 2025, Lu Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with André?Mbata, Permanent Secretary of the Union Sacrée de la Nation (USN) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Head of the DRC-China Friendship Group in the National Assembly.?Mbata was visiting China to attend the Global Civilizations?Dialogue?Ministerial Meeting.?The two sides held in-depth discussions on further strengthening people-to-people engagement, subnational?cooperation, cultural?exchanges and youth friendship between China and the DRC, and working together to promote the broader development of China-DRC and China-Africa relations.Fran?ois Balumuene Nkane, Ambassador of the DRC to China and Huang Xiaowei, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian and African Affairs of the CPAFFC,?were present at the meeting.
