CPAFFC and CRFA Delegation Visits Russia

On the occasion of Russia’s grand celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War, invited by the Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA), a 12-member delegation of the CPAFFC and the China Russia Friendship Association (CRFA) headed by Ambassador Wang Fengxiang, advisor to the CRFA, paid a goodwill visit to Russia from May 13 to 20. The delegation was composed of leading officials of the Jilin and Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Dalian, Huhhot, Nanjing and Wuhan Municipal People’s Associations for Friendship with Foreign Countries and leading members of the departments looking after the tombs of martyrs of the Soviet army. During its stay in Russia, the delegation visited Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Mikhail Titarenko, president of the RCFA and director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russia Academy of Science, Galina Kulikova, vice president of the RCFA, V. Ivanov, vice president of the RCFA and leader of the China Group of the Russian Veterans Committee, and T. Shudlo，council member of the RCFA and deputy curator of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, cordially met with the Chinese delegation in the China Hall of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies. President Titarenko briefed the delegation about the friendship activities that the RCFA had carried out in recent years, such as holding public lectures on China every month and celebration of China’s National Day every year in the China Hall. It had organized activities in commemoration of the famous Chinese personalities such as the centenary of the birth of Deng Xiaoping, and was going to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Chen Yun. Titarenko said, the friendship organizations of the two sides should attach importance to the contacts of the youth of the two countries, attract more young people to take part in Russia-China friendship activities, and train the successors to the cause of Russia-China friendship. The RCFA has done a lot of work for it. Not long ago, the RCFA sponsored a youth quiz “Do You Know China? ”, and quite a few young people won prizes. Before the end of the visit, President Titarenko held a reception in honour of the delegation in the Old Beijing Restaurant. Also present at the reception were some veterans of the Soviet Union Red Army who had participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Northeast China.

The delegation also had a friendly meeting with the Russia Veterans Committee (RVC). Present at the meeting were General Bogdanov, vice chairman of the RVC, and Major General A. Kirilin, director of the Centre for Looking After the Tombs of the Servicemen under the Russian Defence Ministry. In the meeting, the Chinese delegation briefed about how the Chinese local governments looked after the tombs of martyrs of the Soviet army, maintaining and repairing them by pooling a great amount of manpower and fund. The Russian side expressed their admiration and sincere thanks, saying that this fully embodied the friendly relations between the two countries and the Chinese people’s friendly sentiments toward the Russian people. General Bogdanov through the members of the Chinese delegation conferred certificates of merit signed by Senior General V. Govorov, chairman of the RVC, upon the CPAFFC and Chinese provincial friendship associations, commending the work done by the relevant Chinese departments to take care of the tombs of martyrs of the Soviet army and presented a medal in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War upon Wang Fengxiang, the head of the delegation.

Ms. G. Eliseeva, president of the Russian Centre of International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation of St. Petersburg, met with the delegation in the Friendship Home of the city.V. Hodyrev, former mayor of St. Petersburg, also met with the delegation. Mr. Speshnev，president of the RCFA at St. Petersburg, professor with St. Petersburg University and noted Sinologist, entertained the delegation.

The delegation paid homage at the Cemetery to the Unknown Martyrs in Moscow, and the Cemetery of the Victims of the Siege of Leningrad, visited the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the Monument to Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, and the former residence of Lenin. During the delegation’s visit to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, veterans of the USSR Red Army who had participated in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Northeast China including T. Shudlo, deputy curator of the Museum, disregarding their old age, accompanied the delegation and gave explanation, which greatly moved the Chinese delegates.