As China's important organization of nongovernmental diplomacy the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) has made great long-term contributions to boosting friendship between the Chinese people and people in other countries, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, establishing and expanding social foundation for friendly relations between China and other countries in the world. For this it has been highly appraised both at home and abroad. Chen Haosu, chairman of the CPAFFC, accepted an interview by People's Daily on Wednesday and talked about the important achievements of China's nongovernmental diplomacy last year and work plan for this year.

People's Daily: In last May President Hu Jintao attended the ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the foundation of CPAFFC and delivered an important speech. In the speech he expressed ardent expectation of China's nongovernmental diplomacy in the new period. Please comment on the role of nongovernmental diplomacy in China's overall diplomatic work.

Chen Haosu: People-to-people diplomacy is an important part of China's overall diplomacy. As a nongovernmental organization founded relatively early the CPAFFC has conscientiously carried out the Party and central government's foreign principles and policies over the last 50 years; closely supported China's overall diplomacy; stuck to the objective of enhancing friendship among people, promoting international cooperation, maintaining world peace and boosting common development; has made great contributions to improving the friendship between Chinese people and people in other countries and creating good international environment needed for China's development. It has accomplished gratifying and commendable results. The development of the CPAFFC over the last 50 years proves that people-to-people diplomacy is very important in China's overall diplomacy and the CPAFFC is a significant force in pushing ahead the development of China's nongovernmental diplomacy.

People's Daily: In the year that has just passed China's people-to-people diplomacy was carried out vigorously. Would you please make comments in this respect?

Chen Haosu: Carrying out friendly exchange with developing countries is the foothold of China's nongovernmental diplomatic work. We made new progress in this respect last year and accomplished new results. To memorize the historic visit by former Premier Zhou Enlai 40 years ago the CPAFFC, the Chinese and African People Friendship Association shot a telefilm called The Road of Friendship in collaboration with the Beijing TV Station. It passionately presents the development and status quo of the traditional friendship between China and Africa, and has boosted the development of the nongovernmental cooperation between China and Africa. The program received great response from the audience. In last year friendly exchange between China and other developing countries was also very busy and made new progress.

People's Daily: The CPAFFC makes friendly exchange between China and neighboring countries and big countries its emphasis of people-to-people diplomatic work. Could you please make a brief introduction?

Chen Haosu: Friendly nongovernmental intercourse with neighboring countries is unprecedentedly active. After years' preparation China ASEAN Association was founded in last August with Gu Xiulian, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, as its president. It was formed as a platform for nongovernmental exchange to support developing strategic partnership between China and the ten ASEAN countries. Our relationship with South Asian countries such as Pakistan and India has been further strengthened. At the end of last year I was paying a visit to Southeast Asian and South Asian countries on invitation when the earthquake and tsunamis occurred in the Indian Ocean. I expressed sympathy to the people in the disaster-hit countries on behalf of the Chinese people while I met with Prime Minister Rajapakse in Sri Lanka, and organized the first donations among nongovernmental friendship organizations. These friendly exchange activities greatly promoted the development of nongovernmental diplomacy with these neighboring countries in the new century.

Nongovernmental diplomacy with big countries made new progress. In last September the council of China America Friendship Associations elected Xu Kuangdi, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), its president. China-America nongovernmental friendship and cooperation were further boosted. We also organized many people-to-people exchange activities involving not only dignitaries in the political and business circles but also common people and the young. When the China-Japan relations experience some obstacles we intensified the exchange between people of the two nations. For example, we welcome the Japanese sumo to give performance in China in cooperation with the State General Administration of Sports. Song Jian went to Japan to attend the celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the opening of navigation between China and Japan. These and many nongovernmental exchanges exert positive impact on the maintenance of the friendship between the two countries. We also organized activities celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia diplomatic relations, including the China-Russia Young Scientists Forum held in Moscow in collaboration with the National Science Federation, and the visit to Russia by a CPAFFC delegation headed by Ismail Amat, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC. To the further eastern enlargement of the EU we sent our welcome on behalf of various Chinese circles. The nongovernmental cooperation between China and Europe is also progressing steadily. The setup of the website of China-Europe Association for Technical & Economic Cooperation (CEATEC) is exerting influence. We and the Spanish side organized the second meeting of China-Spain Forum in Barcelona. On invitation Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan attended the meeting and made a speech.

People's Daily: What contributions have the CPAFFC made with regard to foreign economic and cultural cooperation.

Chen Haosu: Apart from new progresses with regard to making friends in the political area economic cooperation and cultural exchange have all made gratifying achievements. For example, the Sino-Arab Economic and Trade Workshop, China-Russia Regional Cooperation Workshop, participation in the Boao Asia Energy Forum held in Iran, China-Japan Mayors Forum and China-Japan-S. Korea Local Governments Exchange Conference etc. these have played the role of promoting foreign economic and trade cooperation. We organized about 20 artistic performances and exhibitions. For example, the Tianjin International Children Arts Festival we cosponsored was extremely successful. In particular we took part in the China-French Culture Year and, together with the French side, finished the casting and unveiling of the China-France Friendship Bell. During the grand well-off fashion and talent ceremony of the French Culture Year held in Beijing I myself was granted the Cultural Contribution Award.

What is worth mentioning is that the sister-cities work, which the CPAFFC is responsible for, has made new advances last year. Newly-approved sister cities have reached 69 pairs. Currently total number of Chinese-foreign sister cities have exceeded 1,200 pairs, which made new contributions to local opening up undertaking and urban foreign affairs work.

People's Daily: What new work plans does the CPAFFC have for the new year?

Chen Haosu: This year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, the 60th anniversary of the V-J Day and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the UN. We will hold commemoration activities for these and further advance the undertaking of friendship, cooperation, peace and development under the new historical conditions. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the holding of Asia-Africa Conference. We will do a vigorous work in this aspect and make contribution to the unity and cooperation of developing countries.

The CPAFFC has always regarded carrying out nongovernmental friendly diplomacy during multilateral activities as the base for unfolding our work. Over the last five years we have made gratifying progress in participating in the International Association of Cities and Local Governments. I was elected chairman of the Asia-Pacific region and vice-chairman worldwide by the organization. We will hold the organization's global executive committee conference in Beijing this year, which is also a very important work. We will also hold sister cities working meeting this year to summarize sister cities work and promote the better development of international sister cities work. In addition we will organize celebration activities such as those marking the 30th anniversaries of the China-Thailand diplomatic relations and China-EU diplomatic relations establishment. The third conference of Latin America-China friendship organizations is being prepared.

Lastly, the CPAFFC is very grateful to all Chinese people for their attention and support. With the general public's active participation China's foreign friendship work is bound to make greater achievements in the new century.

This is a translation by People's Daily Online of an article carried on the 7th page of People's Daily on Jan. 20