President Yang Wanming Meets with Paraguayan Parliamentary Delegation
On September 25, 2024, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)?met with a multi-party parliamentary delegation from Paraguay, led by Congressman Walter García of the “Yo Creo” Party. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on advancing exchanges and cooperation in areas such as parliamentary engagement, subnational government interactions, youth, and think tanks.Sun Tao, Deputy Director-General?of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the CPAFFC, and Qu Yuhui, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the meeting.
President Yang Wanming Attends the Opening Ceremony of the 7th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo
On September 21, 2024, the opening ceremony of the 7th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo (hereinafter referred to as the SRDICE) was held in Dunhuang. Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, delivered the keynote address and officially declared the event open. President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) attended and delivered a speech.?At the invitation of the CPAFFC, ambassadors to China from Uruguay, Syria, Turkey, and Argentina, along with key representatives from multinational corporations, foreign chambers of commerce in China, and international non-governmental organizations, attended the opening ceremony. In his remarks, President Yang Wanming stated that Dunhuang culture embodies the Silk Road Spirit, characterized by “peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit”.?He emphasized the need to maintain mutual communication and trust, which lays the foundation for peaceful cooperation. He called for cultural exchanges to serve as a bridge to enhance friendship among peoples, a driving force for the advancement of human society, and a bond for maintaining world peace.?President Yang further underscored the importance of fostering mutual learning and deepening pathways for cultural exchanges to promote the harmonious coexistence of diverse civilizations. He urged the drawing of wisdom from each civilization’s ancient heritage and development practices to promote shared growth and prosperity. Additionally, he stressed the necessity of mutually beneficial cooperation, working together to share the fruits of prosperity and development, and contributing to the building of an open world economy that better benefits all people.President Yang noted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the CPAFFC. CPAFFC is committed to working with all parties to write a new chapter for the Silk Road, characterized by mutual understanding and friendship among peoples, the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, and win-win cooperation among countries. This will significantly contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind. In his address, Uruguayan Ambassador to China, Fernando Lugris, emphasized the importance of upholding multilateralism and strengthening cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to achieve global peace, development, prosperity, and modernization. He noted that Uruguay was the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to express support for the BRI.The first SRDICE?was held in September 2016. In recent years, the CPAFFC has actively supported and participated in this event. This year’s SRDICE, themed “Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, Deepening Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations”, attracted more than 800 guests from over 50 countries, regions, and international organizations.
President Yang Wanming Meets with President of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Research Association Xue Chao
On the morning of September 24, 2024, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Xue Chao, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 14th Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress and President of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Research Association, along with his delegation, at the CPAFFC. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on actively promoting research on Soong Ching Ling’s contributions to people-to-people diplomacy in the new era and fostering the international spirit of friendship that she championed.Secretary-General Sun Xueqing and others were present at the meeting.
President Yang Wanming Hosts a Welcome Reception for the "Shared Journey for China-U.S. Friendship" Washington State Youth Delegation
On September 23, 2024, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC)?hosted a welcome reception in Beijing for the youth delegation from Washington?State, the United States. The delegation comprised Logic Amen, Assistant Principal of Lincoln High School,?Maryn Sage, Assistant Principal of Stadium High School; and David Chong, President of the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association. Over 130 participants attended?the event, including teachers and students from Beijing No. 8 High School and the High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University, as well as representatives from China Tourism Group (CTG), UnionPay International, and other enterprises. Vice President Shen Xin presided over the reception.In his remarks, President Yang highlighted that since President Xi Jinping announced to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in the next?five years, it has been encouraging to see more than 10,000 American youths?have visited?China, thanks to the strong support from various sectors in both countries.?He highlighted that Washington State stands as an important symbol of China-U.S. friendship. The current visit of the “Shared Journey for China-U.S. Friendship” Washington State youth delegation to Guizhou, Sichuan, Shandong, and Beijing represents a continuation of this “relay of friendship”. He expressed his hope that the delegates would become seeds of China-U.S. friendship, encouraging more Americans to get to know, understand, and appreciate China, thereby opening a new chapter for future cooperation and friendship between the two countries.The American guests expressed their gratitude to the CPAFFC for its invitation and warm hospitality. They remarked that their visit allowed them to experience the warmth, friendliness, openness, and inclusiveness of the Chinese people. They also discovered a greater sense of common ground with their Chinese counterparts and expressed their willingness to contribute to enhancing China-U.S. friendship in the future.Chinese and American student representatives performed a variety of programs during the reception, including a solo flute performance of “Driving the Horses to Deliver Grain”, a choral rendition of “The Moon Represents My Heart”, Native American tribal dances, and street dance. The participants also engaged in friendly exchanges throughout the event.
Reception Held in Beijing to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of China-Brazil Diplomatic Relations
On September 13, 2024, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), in collaboration with the Brazilian Embassy in China, hosted a reception in Beijing to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. Chinese?Vice President Han Zheng attended the event. President Yang Wanming of the CPAFFC and Brazilian?Ambassador?to?China?Marcos?Galvao, delivered speeches at the reception. The event was attended by approximately 120 people, including officials from relevant Chinese government departments such as the International?Department?of?the?CPC?Central?Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, and the China International Development Cooperation Agency, as well as Brazilian diplomats, business leaders, and representatives of Brazilian students in China. CPAFFC Vice President Shen Xin presided over the reception.In his remarks, President Yang?highlighted that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, strategic mutual trust between China and Brazil has steadily grown, practical cooperation has expanded, international collaboration has deepened, and people-to-people exchanges have flourished. On August 15 of this year, Presidents Xi Jinping and Brazil?President?Lula?da?Silva?exchanged congratulatory messages to commemorate the 50th anniversary of relations, emphasizing that both sides should take this milestone as a new starting point to infuse China-Brazil relations with new meaning for the modern era and to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights. President Yang expressed the CPAFFC’s commitment to working closely with all sectors in Brazil, in line with the important consensus reached by both heads of state, to strengthen communication, deepen people-to-people ties, and together create a new “golden 50 years”?in China-Brazil relations.Ambassador?Galvao?remarked that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974, China and Brazil have forged a valuable partnership based on mutual respect and understanding, thanks to the personal engagement and joint efforts of successive leaders from both countries. He reiterated Brazil’s commitment to further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership and expanding cooperation in various fields, to the benefit of both nations’?peoples.During the reception, artists from China and Brazil performed vibrant cultural programs, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere among the attendees.
President Yang Wanming Meets with Yuji Miyamoto, New President of the Japan-China Friendship Center
On September 10, 2024, President Yang Wanming met with Yuji Miyamoto, the newly appointed President of the Japan-China Friendship Center, and his delegation at the CPAFFC.President Yang congratulated Miyamoto on his new position and praised his long-standing contributions to promoting exchanges across various sectors between China and Japan. He expressed hope that under Miyamoto’s leadership, the Japan-China Friendship Center?would further enhance people-to-people friendship between the two countries.President Yang emphasized that China-Japan relations are at a critical stage of improvement and development. He urged both sides to take?the important consensus reached by their leaders as a guide, broaden exchange channels, strengthen communication and cooperation, and solidify the public foundation for the continued improvement and development of bilateral relations.Miyamoto expressed gratitude for the strong support from President Yang and the CPAFFC. He noted that the importance of enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two countries has become increasingly prominent in the current international context. He pledged to lead the Center in carrying forward the tradition of friendship, actively planning and taking action to promote exchanges among parliamentarians, think tanks, youth, and local communities, thereby contributing to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations.Invited by the CPAFFC, Miyamoto and his delegation visited China from September 9 to 13. Huang Xingyuan, the Chinese Representative Director of the Japan-China Friendship Center, and Director-General?Cheng Haibo?and Deputy Director-General?Zhang Xiaoping?of the Department of East Asian Affairs?were present during the meeting.
President Yang Wanming Meets with Ms. Jiang Yida, Chairman of Swire (China) Limited
On September 11, 2024, President Yang Wanming met with Ms. Jiang Yida, the newly appointed Chairman of Swire (China) Limited, at the CPAFFC. Both sides exchanged views on promoting people-to-people?exchanges and other areas of mutual interest.President Yang congratulated Ms. Jiang on her new role and commended Swire Group for its long-term commitment to development in China, its active role in promoting cultural exchanges, and its support for China’s rural revitalization efforts. He?expressed the CPAFFC’s willingness to collaborate with Swire Group to build platforms and pool resources, enhancing exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK in areas such as trade, youth engagement, culture, and sports.Ms. Jiang thanked the CPAFFC for its strong support and provided an overview of Swire Group’s investment and development plans in China, as well as its corporate social responsibility initiatives. She expressed confidence in the Chinese market and reaffirmed the Swire’s commitment to deepening its presence in China, playing an active role in telling China’s story and fostering mutual understanding between the peoples of China and the UK.Deng Lan, Director-General?of the?Research Center for People-to-People Diplomacy, participated in the meeting.
President Yang Wanming Meets with President Francisco J. Riberas of the Spain China Council Foundation
On September 9, 2024, President Yang Wanming received Francisco J. Riberas, President of the Spain China Council Foundation?and his delegation in Beijing.President?Yang stated that the Spain China Council Foundation is an important partner of the CPAFFC?in Spain. He highlighted their joint efforts in hosting the China-Spain Forum, which has made significant contributions to the sound?and stable development of bilateral relations. He?noted that the attendance of Vice Premier Liu Guozhong and Prime Minister Pedro?Sánchez at the opening ceremony of the 9th China-Spain Forum exemplifies the high regard both governments have for the forum mechanism and the promotion of people-to-people ties. He expressed the CPAFFC’s commitment to work hand in hand with the Spain China Council Foundation to effectively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and the outcomes of the 9th China-Spain Forum. Together, they aim to continuously improve the forum mechanism, promote its sustainable development, and make relentless efforts to facilitate practical cooperation and people-to-people understanding between the two nations.President Riberas?spoke highly of China-Spain relations and expressed his delight at the successful revival of the China-Spain Forum in collaboration with the CPAFFC. He thanked the Chinese side for the considerable efforts made in organizing this forum. He noted that this forum is high-level and wide-ranging, playing a significant role in deepening friendship and expanding cooperation between the two sides.?Francisco J. Riberas?emphasized that China’s high-quality development presents an opportunity, rather than a challenge, for Spain and European countries in their green transformation. The Spain China Council Foundation is eager to take?this forum as a new starting point to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in local governance, economic and trade, and cultural exchanges, thereby building more consensus and strength for the friendship between the two nations.Vice President Jiang Jiang of the CPAFFC and Secretary General Moreno of the Spain China Council Foundation were present during the meeting.
Joint Initiative from the 9th China-Spain Forum
Since its establishment in 2003, the China-Spain Forum has successfully held eight meetings, with the strong support of the governments of both countries. Representatives from a wide range of sectors have engaged in high-level exchanges through the forum, significantly contributing to the deepening of friendly cooperation between China and Spain.On September 9, 2024, the 9th meeting of the China-Spain Forum was held in Beijing, with Vice Premier Liu Guozhong of China and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain jointly attending the opening ceremony. Participants included representatives from relevant government departments, provincial and municipal leaders, as well as executives from businesses, universities, think tanks, media, and youth organizations. The discussions centered around the theme “Towards the Next 50 Years of Spain-China Relations: Working Together to Create a Sustainable Future”,?with both sides engaging in dialogue on topics such as local cooperation, cultural exchanges, and sustainable development, leading to a broad consensus.Both sides agreed that close high-level interactions between China and Spain are the fundamental guarantee for the continuous development of bilateral relations and the successful hosting of the China-Spain Forum. During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Spain in 2018, both countries jointly issued the Joint Declaration on Strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain, which positively evaluated the significant role of the China-Spain Forum in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both countries, reflecting the high level of the forum and both sides’?commitment to its mechanism.Both parties affirmed that China-Spain friendly cooperation is continuously revitalizing in the new era. In the current international context, the close relationship between China and Spain benefits not only the two nations but also plays an important role in global peace, stability, and prosperity.The attending representatives proposed the following initiatives:I. Deepen Sub-national?Exchanges: Continuously strengthen the bonds of common interest between China and Spain. This involves exploring mechanisms for sub-national?cooperation, promoting more provinces and cities to establish sister-city relationships, and building complementary and mutually beneficial sister-city relationships. The aim is to create dynamic interactions from the central to local levels of government.II. Enhance People-to-People Exchanges: Continuously solidify the public foundation of China-Spain friendship. Both sides should respect cultural diversity and advocate for inclusiveness between civilizations, actively facilitating exchanges in culture, arts, tourism, education, language, and think tanks, thereby promoting mutual understanding and fostering dialogue between civilizations.III. Promote Sustainable Development: Continuously enrich the substance of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Spain. This includes expanding cooperation in new areas such as green energy and the digital economy, providing a fair and equitable business environment for enterprises from both sides, and encouraging more businesses to engage in bilateral investment to support green transformation and foster high-quality development.The attending representatives expressed gratitude to both nations for their significant efforts in successfully organizing the 9th meeting of the China-Spain Forum and unanimously agreed to continue exploring innovative approaches for better development of the forum.It was decided that the 10th meeting of the China-Spain Forum would be held in Spain.
President Yang Wanming Attends Welcome Banquet for Japanese Youth Delegations
On September 7, 2024, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a banquet in Beijing to welcome the visiting Japanese youth delegations, including representatives from the Japan-China Friendship Center?Youth Delegation, the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association University Students Delegation, the Japan Shorinji Kempo Youth Delegation, and the Soka University Delegation.?President Yang Wanming attended the banquet and delivered remarks. Vice President Yuan Mindao, Executive Vice President Zhang Qian and Vice President Jiao Yutong?of Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Minister?Masato Usui from the Japanese Embassy in China, along with nearly 500 participants from both China and Japan, also attended the event.President Yang welcomed the visiting Japanese youth and commended the ongoing efforts of Japan-China friendship organizations in promoting bilateral friendship, particularly in youth exchanges. He noted that China and Japan are important neighbors with a long history of close exchanges. Currently, China-Japan relations are at a critical stage of improvement and development. Last November, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio?to reaffirm the strategic mutual benefits of their relationship, setting a direction for future efforts to establish constructive and stable relations that meet the requirements of the new era. President Yang expressed the CPAFFC’s willingness to collaborate with Japanese friendship organizations and insightful individuals to actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, vigorously promote friendly exchanges across various fields, especially among youth, and create more platforms and bridges for dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. He also emphasized the importance of youth from both countries jointly fostering enduring intergenerational friendship and playing an active role in promoting this cause.Leaders of the Japanese delegations, including Sasaki Masafumi, leader of the Japan-China Friendship Center?Youth Delegation, Wataya?Risa, leader of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association University Students Delegation, Sou?Yuki, leader of the Japan Shorinji Kempo Youth Delegation, Akiya Yoshihide, leader of the Soka University Delegation, and Minister?Masato Usui from the Japanese Embassy in China, each expressed their gratitude for the warm invitation and hospitality extended by the Chinese side. They emphasized the importance of youth exchanges between Japan and China, and encouraged Japanese youth to seize the opportunity to gain deeper insights into Chinese society and culture, forging valuable friendships with their Chinese counterparts. They also expressed hopes that the younger generations of both nations would carry forward the legacy of friendship established by their predecessors, injecting fresh vitality into Japan-China relations.During the banquet, Japanese youth interacted with students from Tsinghua University, the Communication University of China, Beijing Sport University, and Beijing International Studies University. Four Japanese youth representatives shared their experiences and reflections on their visit. The CPAFFC?also celebrated the birthdays of delegation members whose birthdays fell during the visit, creating a lively and friendly atmosphere.The youth delegations from four Japan-China friendship organizations were invited under the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of Japan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Strengthening Youth Exchanges between the governments of China and Japan. They visited Beijing, Shanghai, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan, to gain firsthand insights into Chinese development and culture.