On the afternoon of 5 December, President Li Xiaolin of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC) met with Danish Minister for Gender Equality and Nordic Cooperation Karen Ellemann Kloch and her regional and municipal leaders’ delegation, who visited China to attend the Inaugural China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum. President Li Xiaolin extended welcome to Minister Karen Ellemann Kloch and introduced the CPAFFC’s work in people-to-people diplomacy and local government cooperation. Minister Karen Ellemann Kloch said she hoped to strengthen China-Denmark local governments’ practical cooperation through the Forum and jointly build livable cities. Mr Hu Sishe, Vice Preisident of CPAFFC, Mr. Shen Xin and Ms. Zhang Ruoning, Deputy Director-Generals of the Department of European and Asian Affairs, were present at the meeting.

On 29th November, President Li Xiaolin of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met with H.E. Mr. Anders Carsten Damsgaard, Danish Ambassador to China at the Danish Embassy. The two sides discussed issues relating to the  co-hosting of China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum, and exchanged views on topics such as cooperation in key areas between the two countries, “Belt and Road Initiative” and the current international situation. Mr Song Jingwu, Vice Preisident of CPAFFC, Mr. Shen Xin and Ms. Zhang Ruoning, Deputy Director-Generals of the Department of European and Asian Affairs, were present at the meeting.

Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) came to the Embassy of Cuba in China to express condolence to the passing away of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on the afternoon of November 29th. Mr. Miguel Angel Ramiles, New Cuba Ambassador to China, Mr. Song Jingwu, Vice President of CPAFFC were present.

The newly elected Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Premier Designate Saad Hariri met respectively with CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin in Beirut on 25th November. The Chinese Ambassador Wang Kejian was present at both meetings. Aoun and Hariri said the Lebanese side firmly supports the One China Policy and is willing to actively participate in the “Belt and Road” construction. Li Xiaolin expressed her appreciation for this, and said that the CPAFFC would like to make joint efforts with the Lebanese side to promote cooperation in the fields of culture, economy and trade, as well as to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. President Li Xiaolin was in Lebanon to attend the series of culture activities named “ One Belt and One Road in Lebanon: Beijing to Beirut” which were co-hosted by the CPAFFC and Fransabank in Lebanon.

The “One Belt and One Road in Lebanon: Beijing to Beirut” activities was inaugurated in Phoenicia Hotel of Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, on 24th November. The half-a-month long project was composed of “Chinese Gourmet Festival”, “Chinese Excellent Books Exhibition & Press Briefing of Holding Hands for One Hundred Years——Stories about China and Lebanon”, “Dialogue of Banking between China and Lebanon”. The aims of the activities are strengthening exchanges between China and Lebanon in the fields of culture, tourism, economy and trade, jointly advancing the “Belt and Road” construction. Dignitaries attending the opening ceremony include Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC, Wang Kejian, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Li Meng, Vice President of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Gao Fei, Vice President of Beijing Tourism Group, Adnan Kassar, Chairman of Fransabank Group, attended the opening ceremony, together with over 200 guests from all sectors of the two countries.

CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin met in Hiroshima with HIDEHIKO YUZAKI，Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, on November 17th, during her visit to Japan. President Li Xiaolin said that, over seventy years ago, Hiroshima Prefecture suffered from the atomic bombing and the people bore the torment brought by the war. After the war, the people in Hiroshima Prefecture rebuilt their beautiful homeland on the basis of adhering to peace and development. What we should learn from the history is that peace and friendship should be a goal to pursuit for the people of the world. The local exchange is an important part for the China and Japan relations. President Li hoped that Hiroshima Prefecture could further strengthen the friendly exchanges with Chinese provinces and cities, so as to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples and make efforts to promote healthy, stable development of the Sino-Japanese relations. HIDEHIKO YUZAKI said that since the establishment of  the friendly provinces/counties relations in 1984, Hiroshima Prefecture and Sichuan Province developed fruitful exchanges and cooperation in various fields, which improved their relationship. He also expressed that Hiroshima Prefecture is willing to deepen the friendly exchanges and mutual benefit cooperation with Sichuan Province in the fields of culture, environmental protection, youth and etc.，which could benefit the two peoples. Mr. Li Tianran, Consul-General of Chinese Consulate-General in Osaka, Mr. Yuan Mindao, the Director-General of the Department of Japanese Affairs of CPAFFC and the Secretary-General of the China-Japan Friendship Association, attended the meeting.

On Nov. 14, President Li Xiaolin had a meeting with Speaker Anthony Rendon and the delegation he led. President Li briefed about the chief goal of the CPAFFC which focuses on promoting the world peace and one of its main tasks to facilitate subnational exchanges and cooperation for China with other countries of the world. She highly commended the State of California as one of the most active US states in developing relationship with China and the significant role the State has played in the regard. She also expressed the wishes that Speaker Rendon, other California state legislators and friends in the delegation will continue to attach importance to expanding and enriching the ties between China and California.  Speaker Rendon said he has already learned of the high reputation and influences the CPAFFC has enjoyed overseas. In this first trip he has made to China, he hoped to help seek opportunities of cooperation in film industry, culture and new energy for California with China. He and his colleagues will play active roles in the exchanges and cooperation between California and China. 

On November 10th, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin met in Chongqing with Japanese Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama who was attending China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016. President Li Xiaolin extended warm welcome to Yukio Hatoyama and introduced the general situation about the conference. She expressed that the exchanges and cooperation among countries and regions in the world including China and Japan could be promoted through this conference. Yukio Hatoyama thanked President Li for taking her time to meet him. It was a pleasure for him to arrive in Chongqing, the important city in the west of China, and attend the China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016. Yukio Hatoyama said that Chongqing, as a municipality directly under the central government, has developed into an important city in China’s inland areas. It will play an important role in the Belt and Road strategic. China International Friendship Cities Conference 2016 held in Chongqing this time could promote the exchanges among the various countries and cities, enhance the friendly relations and implement the cooperation programs as well as promote common development.

On October 21, President Li Xiaolin met with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson who is heading a trade mission to China. President Li Xiaolin welcomed Governor’s visit and introduced the important role the CPAFFC plays in promoting China's sub-national and people-to-people friendship and exchanges with the U.S. and other countries of the world. She spoke highly of Governor Hutchinson’s annual visit to China since he took office last year which have landed a number of cooperative results and made positive contributions to pragmatic  cooperation between China and the State of Arkansas.  Governor Hutchinson said he attaches great importance to the U.S.-China relationship and believes that the bilateral cooperation is of huge potential. This trip was very successful and has achieved many pragmatic results which are vital to pushing forward Arkansas-China exchanges. 

CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin met in Beijing with Mr. BABA YOSHIHISA, President of the Soka University and his delegation on October 21st. President Li Xiaolin welcomed BABA YOSHIHISA to visit China and conveyed her greetings to Mr. IKEDA DAISAKU,the founder of the Soka University. President Li said, the current China-Japan relations are generally improved, but they are sensitive and fragile. Cooperation will benefit them both, while conflict will only cause losses. Next year will mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan relations, and the bilateral ties will face important opportunities to further improve. We will develop more friendly exchange activities on the basis of common cultural foundation and also resonance produced among the two peoples such as dance drama Red Ibis and the exhibition of the Chinese Characters: A Legacy and Marvel Perfected Over Three Millennia and actively engage in the improvement of the bilateral relations. CPAFFC has been keeping close exchanges and cooperation relations with Soka Gakkai and the Soka University. President Li hoped that, the Soka University could continue to inherit Mr. IKEDA DAISAKU’s spirit of Sino-Japanese friendship and bring up more personages know about China and be friendly with China. President BABA YOSHIHISA conveyed Soka Gakkai, Honorary President IKEDA DAISAKU’s greetings to President Li Xiaolin. President BABA YOSHIHISA said that, Honorary President IKEDA DAISAKU often requires the Soka University’s teachers and students to learn history, review history and cherish peace and stresses it. The Soka University pays attention to the exchanges with China and is willing to continue making efforts to train the talented persons of Sino-Japanese friendship and further strengthen the exchanges and cooperation in the education sector between China and Japan. Honorary President IKEDA DAISAKU sincerely hoped that the youth of the two countries could develop mutual understanding and learn each other and commonly create a better future for peace and happiness.