1954 年5 月3 日，周恩来总理提议，中国人民保卫世界和平委员会、中国文化艺术界联合会、中华全国自然科学专门学会联合会、中华全国总工会、中华全国民主妇女联合会、中华全国民主青年联合会、中华全国学生联合会、中印友好协会、中缅友好协会、中国人民外交学会等人民团体联合发起成立中国人民对外文化协会，楚图南任会长。
On May 3, 1954, on the initiative of Premier Zhou Enlai, ten people’s organizations, i.e., the Chinese People’s Committee for World Peace, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the All-China Federation of Natural Science Societies, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the All-China Democratic Women’s Federation, the All-China Democratic Youth Federation, the All-China Students Federation, the China-India Friendship Association, the China-Burma Friendship Association, and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, joined together to establish the Chinese People’s Association for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (CPACRFC), with Chu Tunan as its President.