For World Peace and Friendship Among the Peoples―Sketches of the CPAFFC Compound

Whoever has travelled to China and visited Beijing must have been delighted to stroll along the Wangfujing shopping street open only to pedestrians (also known as Gold Street). Going across the busy Changan Boulevard at its southern end and beyond, strangers in this capital would often pause in front of a lustrous green garden and cast a glance inside. It looks so spacious and serene, free from the bustle and hubbub of city life. Lying before one’s eyes are four plots of verdure dotted with flowers and trees, four small paths converging towards a slightly elevated platform with a bright statue at the centre. Is it a park or a private property? Two long wooden plaques affixed on the gate indicate that this is the office compound of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The compound, now housing several public organizations, has long been a major mechanism of China’s people-to-people diplomacy. The former Chinese People’s Committee for World Peace (CPCWP), founded on the second day of the People’s Republic, moved into the compound in March 1951. It was here that representatives from all political parties, people’s organizations and all walks of life used to meet and voice their strong support to Korea against U. S. aggression. It was here that New China summoned nearly all the diplomatic elite and other personnel for the successful convening of the Peace Conference of the Asian and Pacific Regions in 1952. Attended by over 400 delegates and guests from 37 countries, the conference was the first of its kind held in Beijing, which set a significant milestone in the history of international relations as well as a shining example for other such meetings.

For more than a decade, the CPCWP played an important role in the world people’s struggle for peace against imperialist policies of war and aggression, just as its sister organization i.e. the Chinese Committee for Afro-Asian Solidarity did in the Asian and African people’s struggle for national independence. Unfortunately, these eventful years were followed by chaotic ones of the “cultural revolution”. This compound was no Garden of Eden. But the partisans for peace and freedom outlived the forces of evil in the protracted struggle. Quite a number of experienced personnel joined the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), known by its present name since 1969, when it reemerged and moved into the compound.

After the late 1950s, as China grew into a bulwark of world peace, some distinguished international friends came to reside in houses on both sides of the compound. The deeply respected U. S. progressive writer and journalist Anna Louise Strong chose to stay in China despite her advanced age. She wrote indefatigably and, with the assistance of close friends, issued Letters from China in different languages till her last days. Other honoured residents included Rewi Alley from New Zealand, known as the Father of Indusco (Chinese Industrial Cooperatives) during China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression; Kinkazu Saionji, reputed as Japanese “People’s Ambassador” to China; Robert Williams, an Afro-American leader; Jose Venturelli, a famous Chilean painter; and Ahmed Kheir from Sudan, an Arabic expert. They all made invaluable contribution in their own ways to the cause of friendship with China. On behalf of the host country, Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi and other leaders of the Communist Party and the State called on them in the compound on many occasions.

It is noteworthy that the plan for establishment of the CPAFFC was worked out in this compound. Born in May 1954, it was first called the Chinese People’s Association for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. Chu Tunan, its first president, led groups of China’s best stage performers on pioneering tours to Western Europe and Latin America. The time-honoured Peking Opera created a sensation among the audience and imparted to them some knowledge about China. Wang Guoquan, Chai Zemin, Wang Bingnan, Zhang Wenjin, Han Xu and Qi Huaiyuan, all prestigious veteran diplomats, succeeded to the presidency. As the times called, from 1969 to 1976, the CPAFFC launched extensive exchanges with other countries in the social, political and cultural fields, thus enriching its basic programme of work. Meanwhile, the “going global” strategy initiated by President Wang Bingnan, coupled with the traditional practice of “inviting in”, multiplied its activities, and made reciprocal visits for different purposes the model of development for the organization. Since the beginning of the reform and opening up in China, the CPAFFC has enhanced its economic and trade relations with its counterparts and friendly organizations in other lands. It has always played a unique role in supplementing governmental diplomacy. Its work being more characterized by nongovernmental diplomacy on the whole, it now coordinates and oversees the friendship-city twinning with other countries, takes an active part in functions of the International Union of Local Authorities, and conducts international exchanges as a nongovernmental organization in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Friendly contacts are established on a broader scale and at a higher level. Among the visiting guests from all parts of the world are government leaders, dignitaries, parliamentarians and entrepreneurs. All the year round the CPAFFC is busy with receptions, commemorations, and bilateral or multilateral meetings. For more than five decades the hard working spirit in the compound has fostered a group of diplomatic talents, among them, ambassadors, senior officers and experts on international studies.

As to the seat of the organization, the compound has also seen big changes in its layout. The Friendship Museum was inaugurated in 1999, having on display a series of historical photos about the CPAFFC and souvenirs from foreign friends or friendly organizations. It boasts a treasure collection of masterpieces by some of the most celebrated painters and calligraphers of modern China. It provides another venue for seminars, exhibitions, press conferences, public lectures, etc. The Former Residence of Rewi Alley remains as part of the museum, a lasting remembrance of the great New Zealander who was better known in his later years as an author of books on China and a translator of Chinese poetry as well as an Old China Hand to foreign visitors.

Innovation and reconstruction in the compound have been in full swing under the present collective leadership with Chen Haosu as president. The compound has put on a fresh look, more beautiful and orderly than ever before. The statue mentioned above was erected on the first day of the 21st century. It figures a Chinese girl letting fly the peace dove, and bears the slogan of the 1952 peace conference: “Long Live Peace!”, symbolic of the Chinese people’s yearning for perpetual world peace. The newly enlarged auditorium consists of additional sitting rooms and a multi-purpose hall with facilities for various meetings and social gatherings. Its renovation was given every meticulous care. The same was true with other houses, with nooks and corners in the compound. The new is well blended with the old to retain some taste of the original architecture of the main office building. At CPAFFC’s golden jubilee, nongovernmental diplomats of a younger generation, with healthful mental outlook and vigorous style of work, are confident of the continued progress and remarkable achievements in pursuit of the objectives of people’s friendship, international cooperation, world peace and common development.