President Yang Wanming Holds Collective Meeting with Friends of China from Latin America and the Caribbean
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.
President Yang Wanming Holds Collective Meeting with Former Foreign Leaders Attending the China International Friendship Conference
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.
Yang Wanming’s Interview with People’s Daily Online on the 50th Anniversary of China-Brazil Diplomatic Relations
During a recent interview with People’s Daily?Online, Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People’s?Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), remarked that the foundation of friendship between China and Brazil has grown stronger over the past 50 years of diplomatic relations. The bilateral relationship has become more significant, and the prospects for cooperation are more promising. “The pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, finance, agriculture, science and technology, and aerospace will surely bring more tangible benefits to both nations and their peoples.”Abundant Achievements in Pragmatic CooperationFrom 2018 to 2022, Yang Wanming served as China’s Ambassador to Brazil, witnessing many significant moments in the development of bilateral relations. Reflecting on the past five decades, he noted several key milestones: in 1993, Brazil became the first developing country to establish a strategic partnership with China. In 2012, it became the first major Latin American nation to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. In April 2023, Brazil?President?Lula?da?Silva?paid a state visit to China, during which he held talks with President Xi Jinping. The two sides issued a joint statement on deepening comprehensive strategic partnership, advancing bilateral relations to a new level.Since 2009, China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while Brazil remains China’s largest destination for direct investment in Latin America. According to Chinese customs data, bilateral trade between China and Brazil reached USD 181.53 billion in 2023, marking the sixth consecutive year that trade exceeded USD 100 billion.Yang stated that over the past 50 years, China and Brazil have achieved fruitful results in cooperation across sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, aerospace, and technological innovation. Economic and trade cooperation, in particular, has laid a solid material foundation for the stable development of bilateral relations.Promising Prospects for Joint ProgressThis November, the G20 Leaders’ Summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Recently, President Lula da Silva?expressed his intention to hold bilateral talks with China following the summit to explore the establishment of a “long-term strategic partnership”.As the largest developing countries and significant emerging markets in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, respectively, China and Brazil play critical?roles in promoting a more just and equitable new international order. Yang emphasized that the two countries closely cooperate within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS, and the G20, not only advancing their own development but also robustly safeguarding the common interests of the broader developing world.Recently, the 20th CPC Central Committee’s Third Plenary Session?was successfully held. It focused on comprehensively deepening reform with the goal of advancing Chinese modernization and outlined strategic arrangements to further enhance a higher level of opening-up. “This will bring new opportunities for China and Brazil to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and achieve common development,” said Yang.Yang noted that the Brazilian government is actively advancing its “reindustrialization” strategy, promoting technological innovation, and accelerating the transition to a green, low-carbon economy. This aligns closely with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China has made significant technological advances in emerging fields such as photovoltaics, energy storage, artificial intelligence?(AI), the Internet of Things?(IoT), 5G, and the digital economy. “In the future, both sides will further synergize the BRI with Brazil’s reindustrialization strategy through cooperation,” Yang stated.He emphasized that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Brazil, an important milestone symbolizing continuity and progress. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, political mutual trust will continue to deepen, and the prospects for cooperation will grow even broader.Deepening People-to-People ExchangesDuring his three-year tenure as China’s Ambassador to Brazil, Yang was deeply impressed by the local people’s?open and kind nature, the diversity and inclusiveness of the culture, and the vast and captivating landscapes. “If I were to summarize Brazil’s characteristics in a few words, I would say vast land and resources, cultural diversity, and youthful vitality,” Yang shared. He highlighted Brazil’s rich resources, including land, minerals, forests, fresh water, and tourism, as well as its history of multi-ethnic integration, which has cultivated a rich and inclusive culture. The whole society radiates vitality, showcasing Brazil’s significant development potential.He pointed out that cultural exchanges between China and Brazil contribute to enriching the lives of their peoples and foster mutual understanding, thus providing a solid foundation of public support for the stable development of friendly relations between the two countries.Yang introduced that in the future, CPAFFC plans to design more “small yet impactful” projects for people-to-people exchanges between China and Brazil. This includes strengthening exchanges between youths, think tanks, media, cultural, and sports sectors, as well as establishing more high-quality sister city relationships. Efforts will be made to expand existing sister city cooperation to communities, schools, and hospitals, increasing public awareness, participation, and a sense of benefit from these partnerships, thus continuously injecting new vitality into the sustained and healthy development of bilateral relations.This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s?Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Yang stated, “We cherish those old friends who laid the groundwork for China-Brazil relations, and we look forward to welcoming more diverse new friends to the cause of people-to-people friendship between China and Brazil. We hope that these exchanges will be warmer and deeper, bringing the two nations closer together.”
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 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.
