On June 16th, Mr Song Jingwu, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) attended a Reception to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday hosted by the British Embassy in China and met with H.E. Ms Barbara Wood, British Ambassador to China. Vice President Song extended congratulations on the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, thanked Ambassador’s support for China-UK local government cooperation, and exchanged ideas with her on the recent work of the two countries’ local government exchanges and cooperation. Song also passed on to her a congratulation letter to Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday written by an 11-year-old Chinese girl from Shandong Province and the invitation letter to China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016. Ambassador Wood thanked Vice President Song and the CPAFFC’s work in pushing forward China-UK local government cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

On 16th June. 2016, Mrs. Hu Chunmei, Associated Counsel of the Department of European and Asian Affairs, Secretary General of China Central Asia Friendship Association, met with the Ambassador of Tajikistan Mr. Davlatzoda. Both sides informed each other of the working scheme and discussed the work plans for observances of Tajikistan's 25th independence. 

Vice Presdient Xie Yuan met with Dr. Jonathan Strosmeth, policy planning staff from Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of State on June 8.  Vice President Xie Yuan introduced about the history of CPAFFC and its work in recent years in promoting China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges, especially at sub-national level. Xie noted that CPAFFC will keep in close communication with the U.S. Department of State on how to further promote China-U.S. sub-national exchanges, including city exchanges.  Dr. Jonathan Strosmeth said that sub-national cooperation is important in helping build a stable and strong U.S.-China relationship. The U.S. Department of State is supportive of U.S.-China sub-national exchanges, and is hoping to expand new exchange platforms for both sides in the areas such as city governance and urban planning, so as to advance the practical cooperation between cities of the two countries. 

On June 8, Mr. Hwang Kyo-Ahn, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, met with delegates from China and Korea attending the first China-Korea Governors Conference in Seoul. Prime Minister Hwang sang a high praise of the outstanding roles played by CPAFFC and Governors Association of Korea (GAOK) in promoting the cooperation of local governments.  He hoped that the Conference would make new contributions in developing Korea-China relations. On behalf of the Chinese delegation, Madame Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, briefed Mr. Hwang on the exchanges conducted by CPAFFC with Korea in recent years. She hoped that the local governments in China and Korea would learn from each other, explore more fields of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and win-win result, thus to inject more vigor into the development of bilateral relations. Present at the meeting were Mr. Luosang Jiangcun, Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, Mr. Liang Gui, Member of the Standing Committee and Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shaanxi Committee, Mr. Zhao Haishan, Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipality, Madame Wang Yanling, Vice Governor of Henan Province, and Mr. He Duanqi, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, Mr. Yoo Jeong Bok, President of GAOK and Mayor of Incheon, Mr. Kwon Young-Jin，Mayor of, Daegu Metropolitan City, Mr. Song Ha-Jin, Governor of Jeollabuk-do Province, Mr. Ahn Hee-Jung, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province, Mr. Yoon Jang-Hyun, Mayor of  Gwangju Metropolitan City，Mr. Choi Moon-Soon, Governor of Gangwon-do Province，Mr. Lee Nak-Yon, Governor of Jeollanam-do Province, Mr. Won Hee-Ryong, Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and Mr. Qiu Guohong, Ambassador of China to Korea. Hwang Kyo-Ahn(second from left)  with Li Xiaolin(second from right)

Organized by CPAFFC and Governors Association of Korea (GAOK), the first China-Korea Governors Conference was held in Incheon of Korea on the afternoon of June 8.  Mr. Hwang Kyo-Ahn, Prime Minister of Korea, met with delegates from both sides in Seoul before the Conference. The Conference was presided by Madame Li Xiaolin, President of CPAFFC, and Mr. Yoo Jeong Bok, President of GAOK and Mayor of Incheon.  Delegates from China included Mr. Luosang Jiangcun, Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, Mr. Liang Gui, Member of the Standing Committee and Director-General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shaanxi Committee, Mr. Zhao Haishan, Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipality, Madame Wang Yanling, Vice Governor of Henan Province, and Mr. He Duanqi, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province.  Delegates from Korean side included Mr. Kwon Young-Jin，Mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City, Mr. Song Ha-Jin, Governor of Jeollabuk-do Province, Mr. Ahn Hee-Jung, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province, Mr. Yoon Jang-Hyun, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City，Mr. Choi Moon-Soon, Governor of Gangwon-do Province，Mr. Lee Nak-Yon, Governor of Jeollanam-do Province, Mr. Won Hee-Ryong, and Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.  All of the above-mentioned delegates and Mr. Qiu Guohong, Ambassador of China to Korea, made speeches at the Conference.  The theme of the Conference was “Welcome the China-Korea FTA Era and Effectively Play the Role of Local Governments”.  Both sides held broad and in-depth discussions on subjects of mutual concern such as “Green Development and Industrial Cooperation” and “Promoting People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges by Tourism Cooperation”. A Joint Declaration was released by the Conference and it was agreed that the second China-Korea Governors Conference be held in China in 2018.

At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Macedonia-China Friendship Association (MCFA) delegation visited China. CPAFFC Vice President Hu Sishe met with and hosted a dinner for them in CPAFFC on June 8. Vice President Hu extended his warm welcome to the delegation. He said that President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative will bring a good opportunity to China and Macedonia in the fields of the economy and trade pragmatic cooperation and the humanity and culture exchanges. He hoped that the two countries’ associations should strengthen the exchanges in the future and play a positive role in promoting the cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Chairman Ljupco Malenkov expressed that supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MCFA held many large-scale activities and got a good results. Since there are poets, musicians and painters in the delegation, it will jointly hold the exhibition of paintings with the Art Exchanges Institute of CPAFFC in Beijing. The paintings will be auctioned after the exhibition and the proceeds will be donated to Chinese children in poor area. He said he would like to keep positive contact with CPAFFC, promote mutual understanding and expand the cooperation. Mr. Lv Hongwei, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European and Asian Affairs of CPAFFC, held talk with the delegation before the meeting. 

On June 7th, 2016, the Fourth Round-Table Summit of “Global CEO Council” initiated by the CPAFFC was held successfully at Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Premier Li Keqiang met with 15 CEOs attending the summit and had an in-depth communication with them.  The CEOs expressed their views and offered suggestions on innovation-driven growth in China, green development, the Belt and Road Initiative and other issues, based on the theme set for the round-table summit -- “The 13th Five-Year Plan: Opportunities and Challenges to Multinational Corporations”.  The summit posed this question: after more than 30 years of rapid growth, how should China steadily and effectively deal with the problems, confusions, challenges and opportunities.  World economy has been through weak recovery, and is experiencing international trade slowdown. China are also faced with many difficulties and challenges. However, hope and difficulties are co-existed, and the former is greater than the latter. In the process of economic transformation and upgrading, services and consumption has accounted more than half of economic growth. China will provide new opportunities for investors in communication, medical treatment, sports and other emerging consumer markets, according to the premier. As the largest developing country, China still has great development space and market potential, and China will open wider to the world, "to share opportunities with foreign investors to reach win-win results," Li said. Attendees considered China a economic opportunity more than challenge, and China is still an attractive destination for investment. They are willing to take parts in China’s entrepreneurial innovation and green development, to achieve common development of their enterprises and China economy. Initiated by Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries on June 5th, 2013, “Global CEO Council” aims to bring together the specially invited CEOs of the world’s largest multinational corporations to have the highest level of direct communications with Chinese leaders for understanding, friendship, cooperation and common development between China and the world. The Round-Table Summit of “Global CEO Council” was held yearly from 2013, Premier Li Keqiang attended the summit and exchanges views with attendees for four consecutive years.

\ On June 6, Director General Zhang Heqiang of American and Oceanian Affairs attended the Health Pillar Dialogue of the Seventh CPE. DG Zhang detailed about the Third China-US Sister City Conference and China-US Healthy City Forum which will be held in Nanchang, capital city of Jiangxi Province, on November 19-20, 2016. He said the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Sister Cities International (US) appreciates the opportunity to co-host the above events with National Health and Family Planning Commission of China(NHFPC)and US Department of Health and Human Services. China-US Sister City Conference is one of the important subnational exchange platforms for the two countries, while the Healthy City Forum is a significant consensus reached at the Sixth CPE last year. The November events will highlight the importance of China-US cooperation. By in-depth discussion on the relations between health and life, aging society, climate change, city transportation and innovation, it is hoped that the events will deepen the concept of healthy city and generate more concrete bilateral cooperation so that they will not only benefit our two peoples but also set good examples for the rest of world.    The Pillar Dialogue was also attended by representatives from NHFPC，US Department of Health and Human Services，Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, American Heart Association, Fu University, Harvard University and other organizations.

On June 6th, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC, met with Mr. D. Kurbanov, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to China.  Mr. Kurbanov informed the CPAFFC of the working scheme of the Embassy and the preparations for the SCO Summit.  Mr. Song extended gratitude to Mr. Kurbanov for The support of the Embassy to CPAFFC over the years and indicated that the CPAFFC will keep close contact with the Embassy to carry on and develop the traditional friendship between the two countries. Mrs. Hu Chunmei, Associated Counsel of the Department of European and Asian Affairs attended the meeting.

The International Seminar on “Translation and Chinese-Arabic Humanity Exchange, Co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), jointly organized by Arab Translation Organizations and Arabic Translations Association , was held in SISU from June 4 to 5, 2016. With the theme of commemorating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Arab countries, this seminar is the largest conference comparing with the Arabic language conferences held over the past decade in China and Arab countries and is also the first international academic activity about humanity exchange between China and Arab countries after the seventh ministerial meeting of the China-Arab countries cooperation forum in May this year. The SISU made their efforts for this seminar and other participants paid high attention to it. About 150 representatives, including the experts and the scholars came from more than 20 Arabic teaching and research institutions, such as, Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), University Of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), Beijing International Studies University (BISU), the leaders came from Arabic Translation Organizations  , Arabic Translations Association , The League of Arab States Arabic Advanced Translation Institution , Morocco’s King Fahd School of Translation, The Agency of the League of Arab States in China, and the representatives from Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television (CCTV), Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, China Radio International (CRI), China Today, China International Publishing Group (CIPG), attended the seminar.