Friendship Activities in Brief

Second International Paper-Cut Art Festival Held

Jointly sponsored by the CPAFFC, the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association (CFLAA) and the Huhhot Municipal People’s Government, and undertaken by the Horinger County People’s Government, the Chinese Paper-Cutting Society under the CFLAA and the East-West Artists Association of America (EAA), the Second International Paper-Cut Art Festival was held in Horinger County of Inner Mongolia from August 15 to 18, 2006.

The main contents of the art festival included the opening ceremony and the International Paper-Cut Exhibition, introduction of the organization and guidance, general investigation, artistic creation, teaching and learning, preservation and development of the traditional paper-cut art in Horinger, the First International Forum on Paper-Cut Art and issuing the Horinger Declaration on Preserving and Developing Paper-Cut Art.

The 200 plus pieces of exhibits and over 30 theses submitted to the forum are chosen from more than 1,100 pieces of candidate paper-cut works and over 100 theses contributed by paper-cut artists and organizations of more than 10 countries including China (Hong Kong and Taiwan included), the U.S., Germany, Britain, France, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Israel and Vietnam. The festival selected 3 winners of Special Award, 10 winners of Gold Award, 20 winners of Silver Award, 30 winners of Bronze Award and a number of winners of Fine Work Award. (Sun Kang)

Leaders of Vaud-Shaanxi Association and Connaissance de Chine de Lausanne Visit China

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, President René Pfiffer and Secretary General Gérald Béroud of the Vaud-Shaanxi Association of Switzerland, and President Piguet Danielle and Treasurer Alain Roy of the Connaissance de Chine de Lausanne visited Beijing, Harbin, Shenyang and Dalian from September 4 to 11, 2006. They paid visits to the Nestle (China) Ltd. ventured by Swiss in Harbin, the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation and Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Company, the Shenyang Heavy Machinery Group Co., Ltd., the Dalian University of Foreign Languages and the Dalian Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone.

Delegation of Iran-China Friendship Society Visits China

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, Ahad Mohammadi, president of the Iran-China Friendship Society (ICFS), led the ICFS delegation to pay a friendly visit to Beijing and Chongqing from September 14 to 21, 2006. CPAFFC President Chen Haosu met with and entertained the delegation. Vice President Wang Yunze had a work meeting with them, discussing future cooperation plans in the fields of economy and trade, culture, tourism and local governments, and signed a memorandum on cooperation. In Beijing, members of the delegation had talks with leaders of the National Tourism Administration on cooperation. In Chongqing, Zhao Gongqing, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress met with the delegation.

Brunei-China Friendship Association Delegation in China

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, the Brunei-China Friendship Association Delegation led by Vice President Chan Hiang Heng, paid a friendly visit to Beijing and Nanjing from September 25 to October 1, 2006. In Beijing, Jing Dunquan, vice president of the CPAFFC, had a work meeting with and entertained the delegation. Zhai Wenming and Du Wei, vice presidents of the China-Brunei Friendship Association also entertained the delegation respectively. Chan Hiang Heng attended the National Day Reception held by the State Council on September 30. In Nanjing, the delegation were present at the reception hosted by Wu Xijun, president of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and visited the Borneo King’s Tomb.

CPAFFC’s China-Azerbaijan Branch Established

The ceremony for the establishment of the China-Azerbaijan Branch of the CPAFFC was held on October 19, 2006. Present were Chen Haosu, president of the CPAFFC, Lei Yincheng, president of the China-Azerbaijan Branch, Zhang Guoqiang, vice president of the China-Azerbaijan Branch, representatives of the Foreign Ministry and members of the China-Azerbaijan Branch. Azerbaijani Ambassador to China Yashar Tofiqi Aliyev, representatives from Azerbaijani companies in Beijing and representatives of Azerbaijani students in China attended the ceremony. President Chen Haosu, Ambassador Aliyev and President Lei Yincheng spoke at the ceremony.

President Chen Haosu pointed out, the China-Azerbaijan Branch of the CPAFFC bears the mission of making Azerbaijan and China know about each other. He believed, with the further development of Sino-Azerbaijani relations and deepening of understanding between the two people, the economic relations and trade, personnel and cultural exchanges and cooperation in all fields will accelerate. The China-Azerbaijan Branch of the CPAFFC will surely play a useful role.

Commemorative Stamps on Tanzania-Zambia Railway Issued

The year of 2006 witnessed the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Sino-African diplomatic relations as well as the 30th anniversary of the completion of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA).The CPAFFC specially designed and printed a set of 6 stamps to commemorate the friendship among the Chinese, Tanzanian and Zambian people and their cooperation in economic construction and cultural development, and the contributions made by the railway constructers of the three countries to the Sino-Tanzanian, Sino-Zambian and Sino-African friendships.

On October 25, 2006, the launching ceremony for the issuing of the commemorative stamps was held at the headquarters of the Tanzania Post Corporation (TPC). Chinese Counsellor of Culture in Tanzania Sun Linyou, the Director of the TPC, Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to Tanzania, the Director of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, the Chinese Chief Expert at the TAZARA and representatives from all circles, totaling 50 people, were present at the ceremony. At the ceremony, the Chinese representative presented 40,000 commemorative stamps to Tanzania.

In the 1960s, in order to get free from the Southern Rhodesian racist regime’s control over Zambia’s export of copper, the presidents of Zambia and Tanzania asked the Chinese government to help build a railway. Thus, the construction began in the 1970s. It is the greatest project in the history of China’s foreign-aid, with a total length of 1,860 kilometres starting from Dar es Salaam of Tanzania in the east and ending in New Kapiri Mposhi of Zambia in the west. In July 1976, the “iron and steel artery” was put into operation. (Duan Beisheng)

Thai Princess Ubol Ratana in China

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, the Thai princess Ubol Ratana and her party of 10 members visited Beijing and Weihai from October 28 to November 1, 2006. Gu Xiulian, vice-chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee met with and entertained the delegation. They were also received by Wang Qishan, mayor of Beijing.

During the meeting, Vice Chairperson Gu Xiulian expressed appreciation of the Thai royal family for their great care and support for the development of Sino-Thai friendship, and the irreplaceable role they play in promoting mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples.

This is the fourth visit by the princess. Ratana said, she could feel the great changes in China during her every visit. China has made outstanding achievements in upgrading the people’s living standards and poverty relief, and she really wanted to learn the specific measures taken by the Chinese government. (Zhu Dan)

Thirty-five Years of Sino-Peruvian Diplomatic Ties Marked

On November 2, 2006, the CPAFFC and the China-Latin America Friendship Association (CLAFA) jointly held a reception to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Peru. Li Xiaolin, vice president of the CPAFFC and Tulio A. Mundaca, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Peruvian Embassy in China attended the reception and made speeches.

In her speech, Vice-President Li Xiaolin said, though the two countries are far away from each other, the friendship between the two people has had a long history. Especially in the recent years when the high-ranking leaders of both countries exchanged visit frequently, the two sides supported and coordinated with each other in international and regional affairs, and furthered friendly cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology, culture, etc.. In January 2005, China and Peru announced their comprehensive cooperative partnership, marking a new phase of development in the Sino-Peruvian relations. She said, the CPAFFC has established a long-term friendly cooperative relationship with the Peruvian-Chinese Culture Institute, and the exchanges of visit and various communications between the two people have deepened their mutual understanding. She believed, with the joint effort, the Sino-Peruvian friendly cooperative relations and the friendship between the two people will be immensely fruitful in future.

Present were leaders from relevant departments of the government, representatives of friendly nongovernmental organizations, diplomats of the Peruvian Embassy in China and representatives from the media in Beijing.