In the morning of July 16, Li Jianping, the vice president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with Mme. Ruiz Massieu, the Mexican Tourism Minister and H.E. Mr. Julián Ventura, the Mexican ambassador to China. Vice President Li Jianping extended his sincere welcome to Minister Ruiz Massieu and her group for their visit to China， and congratulated Ambassador Ventura for his new appointment in China. He said, last month, the visit to Mexico by the Chinese President Xi Jinping achieved great success. The aim of the minister’s visit to China this time was to implement the consensus of furthering the cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries reached by the two heads of state. The CPAFFC would like to assist Mexico to hold publicizing and promoting events to attract more tourists to visit in Mexico, thus to strengthen the understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Besides, Vice President Li Jianping also introduced the status of China developing friendship cities with Mexico to the minister and her group. He expected that the both sides to carry out more pragmatic works on friendship cities. Minister Ruiz Massieu appreciated for the efforts and contribution that the CPAFFC had made to the friendship between China and Mexico. She said, her visit to China was to realize the Mexican President Pena Nieto’s promise of deepening the relations with China. The development of bilateral tourism would not only boost the economy and increase employment, but also construct a platform of friendship for the two peoples. H.E. Mr. Julián Ventura, the new Mexican Ambassador to China expressed that he would strengthen the communication with the CPAFFC, to promote more pragmatic cooperation, adding more vitality  to the friendly relation between Mexico and China.

  At the invitation of Sister Cities International (SCI), Vice President Xie Yuan of CPAFFC led a delegation of 5 people to visit the U.S. From July 11 to 16. He attended the 57th annual conference of SCI at San Antonio, Texas, delivered a speech about the development and prospect of China-US sister city relations and answered questions from the audience about China’s sister city policies and issues which should be noted when conducting sister city exchanges with Chinese localities. Vice President Xie continued to visit the State of Iowa, and paid visit to Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, and discussed with the old friends including Sarah Lande, about the commemorative events in September on the 30th anniversary of Iowa-Hebei sister state relationship.  

On July 15th, 2013, State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with the U.S. Kansas State Governor Sam Brownback at Zhongnanhai. Mme Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Zheng Zeguang, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs,attended the meeting. At the invitation of CPAFFC,Governor Sam Brownback will visit Beijing,Henan and Guangdong from July 15th to 21st to further cooperation with China.

The conference of the new council (2013-2018) of China-Cuba Friendship Association (CCFA) was held at Peace Palace in the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) on July 9,2013, more than 40 council members and representatives from various circles of society attended the conference. The new council leaders of the CCFA were elected. Bai Lichen, the former vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was elected as the president. Xie Yuan, the vice president of the CPAFFC, Liu Yuqin, the former Chinese ambassador to Cuba and He Chenguang, the general manager of the China Communication Co., Ltd were elected as the vice presidents respectively. Ji Yongjun, the deputy director-general of Department of American and Oceania Affairs of the CPAFFC was served as secretary general. President Bai Lichen delivered the important speech in the conference, he said that the CCFA should strengthen the communication with Cuba on friendship cities, economic cooperation, culture exchanges, personnel exchanges and others in the future. President Bai also conferred the council members the letters of appointment at the conference. The CCFA held a celebrating banquet after the conference. H.E. Mr. Alberto Jesus Blanco Silva, the Cuban ambassador to China and other diplomats from the Cuban embassy attended the banquet.President Xie Yuan and Ambassador Alberto Jesus Blanco Silva made speeches respectively.    

At the invitation of CPAFFC, a ten-member delegation of the Union for Peace and Friendship Mongolia (former Mongolia Federation for Peace and Friendship Organizations) headed by newly-elected President Deleg ZAGDJAV paid a visit to Beijing and Tianjing from July 1st to 5th. Mr. Feng Zuoku (CPAFFC Vice President), Mr.He Jun (Assistant Minister of International Department of CPC Central Committee and Vice President of Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament), Mr. Ren Xuefeng (Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipality and President of Tianjin People’s Friendship Association) met and hosted banquets for the delegation. Ms. Yi Zhihong (Vice President of Renmin University of China) also had discussions with the delegation. Ambassador of Mongolia to China attended major activities with the delegation. During the visit, President ZAGDJAV and CPAFFC Vice President Feng Zuoku exchanged views on friendship exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. They also signed the MOU on the Cooperation from 2013 to 2016.

Sponsored by the CPAFFC and the People’s Government of Shandong Province, the 2nd Dialogue for Chinese and African Governors and Mayors was held in Jinan of Shandong from June 26 to 29. Guests of the dialogue include more than 100 representatives from 19 French-speaking African countries and 220 Chinese representatives from concerning ministries or commissions of the central government and 17 cities of Shandong province. H.E. Mr. Abdul’ahat Abdurixit, former Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association, and Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC and Executive Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation were present and addressed at the opening ceremony. H.E. Mr. Jiang Yikang, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and H.E. Mr. Guo Shuqing, Governor of Shandong Province met and dinned with the Chinese and African honored guests respectively.   Focusing on the topic of industry and infrastructure promoting local development, we organized a series of activities such as the dialogue on Shandong’s competitive industries and African local development and cooperation, governors’ and mayors’ dialogue, Chinese and African provinces’ and cities’exhibition, trade, investment and projects promotion and study tour to companies. 12 agreements and letter of intention regarding sister city or economy and trade were signed in the dialogue.   Mme. Li Xiaolin also awarded H.E. Jean Ping, former chairman of African Union Commission the certificate and badge of People’s Friendship Envoy. As an important continuation of the first Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation, the dialogue has been organized two times, firstly in Dakar last December of 2012, secondly in China this time, which is the first time for the dialogue to be held within China.

On June 27, 2013, Vice President Xie Yuan Met with Mr. John McKinnon, Executive Director of Asia New Zealand Foundation. Vice President Xie expressed warm welcome to Mr. McKinnon on behalf of President Li Xiaolin. He said, Asia New Zealand Foundation has always been an important partner for CPAFFC and the two organizations maintained close exchange and cooperation during the past years. The China New Zealand Young Leaders Exchange Program, which is jointly initiated by our two organizations, has been carried out smoothly since its launching in 2009. The young leaders from the two countries gained better understanding about each other’s history, culture and current national condition through mutual visits. This lays a solid foundation for the sound and steady growth of China-New Zealand friendly relations. Xie hoped that the two parties could further expand areas of cooperation, make fresh contribution to China-New Zealand relationship so as to benefit the two peoples. McKinnon said, China-New Zealand relations went through fast development in recent years. There’s growing interest from the New Zealand society, the New Zealand people to know more about China. This trend requires organizations like Asia New Zealand Foundation and CPAFFC to step up the efforts, and create new opportunities to promote mutual understanding and exchange and cooperation between the people of China and New Zealand.

From June 27 to 28, 2013, the acceptance ceremony of the first projects of Rainbow Bridge Program was held in Hong’an, Hubei. At the instruction of CPAFFC president Li Xiaolin herself, the first projects of Raibow Bridge Program had been successfully completed after over 6 months’s execution. The items for acceptance included Estee Lauder’s Care for Stay-at-Home Children (to sponsor the nursery desks, chairs and beds), Metlife’s Reading Room, Cummings Clean Drinking Water in School (to install device of clean hot water in schools), Coca Cola Healthy Youth (to construct basketball court and volleyball court), Ambo’s Care for Middle School Students （install ceiling fans in classrooms). The projects covered 5 nurseries, 55 elementary and middle schools, benefited about 30 thousand children. Hong’an County Government，office of foreign affairs，administration of education gave great assistance and support to the above projects. President Li Xiaolin of the CPAFFC attended the events in her tight schedule. She set a home breakfast to feast the senior managers of multinational corporations from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Wuhan and leaders of Hong’an County in Memorial Garden of Li Xiannian. First, President Li Xiaolin expressed her appreciation to the multinational corporations on behalf of the people of her hometown, for they coming to Hong’an from far distance through the bridge of friendship and imparting technology to the people in old revolutionary area. She wished the Rainbow Bridge Program could make everyone to learn a real China, thus support the people-to-people diplomatic works. The representatives of the multinational corporations expressed that, they would continue to go deep into the poverty-stricken old revolutionary area with the platform of Rainbow Bridge Program, to help the people there to develop and get rich. The CPAFFC was planning the Yan’an Trip of Rainbow Bridge Program. We would continue to focus on combining the multinational corporations with the local practical needs, to make more resource of care contribute its maximum effect in poverty-stricken areas, and give these areas real assistance, to enhance the social influence of Rainbow Bridge Program.

Madam Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), led the 8th Delegation of “Say It As It Is”, composed of Mr. Zhao Wei, Vice-President of China National Academy of Painting and Mr. Chen Ping, Professor of China Central Academy of Fine Arts, to pay a visit to the United States on June 17 and 18, 2013.  In the spirit of “Art is borderless, culture conveys friendship”, the delegation had face-to-face dialogue with four U.S. Senators and two members of House of Representatives and introduced the characteristics and charm of Chinese traditional paintings to them, with the hope to enhance mutual understanding between the Chinese and American people and to promote the development of China-U.S. relations by cultural exchanges. The U.S. Congressmen showed their great interest in Chinese traditional art.  They asked several detailed questions about the characteristics of Chinese fan painting and highly appreciated the artistic attainments of the two Chinese painters. During the visit, CPAFFC and China National Academy of Painting co-hosted an art exhibition named Beautiful China: Fan Paintings from the National Academy of Painting in Meridian International Center in Washington D.C..  Madam Li Xiaolin, Mr. Cui Tiankai, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States, Mr. Zhao Wei, Vice-President of China National Academy of Painting and Mr. Stuart Holliday, President and CEO of Meridian International Center attended the exhibition reception and delivered speeches respectively.  Professor Chen Ping demonstrated the Chinese calligraphy by writing “Chinese and western culture glorify together”, “China-U.S. friendship will pass on from generation to generation.”, “Friendship, Peace, Cooperation, Development” during the reception. Over one hundred people from political, cultural and business circles as well as people-to-people organizations of the United States attended the reception and enjoyed the exhibition. From 2002 to 2012, CPAFFC has organized 7 delegations of “Say It as It Is”, which were composed of the ordinary Chinese people, to visit the United States. By narrating their respective lives, work and experiences of setting up business, those delegates introduced the real situation of the economic and social development in China to the U.S. Congressmen and expressed the good wishes of Chinese people to enhance China-U.S. relations.

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, the delegation headed by Mr. Zakir.Abidov ,the president of The Council of the Societies of Friendship and Cultural-Enligntenment Relations with Foreign Countries of Uzbekistan (CSFCERFCU) visited in Beijing and Lanzhou from June 15 to 21. In Beijing, the CPAFFC Vice President Li Jianping met with and held banquet for the delegation. Vice President Li Jianping extended his welcome to the delegation, and recalled the situation and achievements of his last visit in Uzbekistan 3 years ago. He said, the CPAFFC would keep the friendly cooperation with the CSFCERFCU, and develop various exchanges, to promote more pragmatic cooperations. President Abidov appreciated for the CPAFFC’s invitation and warm reception. He said, the CPAFFC was the reliable partner of the CSFCERFCU. The two organization carried out many pragmatic cooperations during the years. Especially, during President Li Xiaolin’s visit in Uzbekistan last year, her attendance and speech on the seminar commemorating the 15th anniversary of the establishment of  CSFCERFCU received great social sensation. The two organization also signed the MOU, which founded solid base for future cooperation. H.E. Kurbanov, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to China was present at the banquet. The delegation also visited Central University of Finance and Economics and Minzu University of China, and held seminars with the representatives of the tutors and students from the above universities. In Lanzhou, the delegation visited Lanzhou University of Finance and Economic, Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine Company, Foci Pharmaceutical Company. Li Fan, the deputy direcot of Gansu Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and correlative leaders of Gansu Association for International Friendly Contact held banquet for the delegation.