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Invited by the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania, CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin led a delegation to visit Lithuania from September 5 to 8. The delegation made official calls on Alfredas Pekeliunas, deputy speaker of the Seimas, Kestutis Glaveckas, chairman of the Lithuania-China Friendship Group in the Seimas, Justinas Karosas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas, Bronislovas Genzelis, president of the Lithuania-China Friendship Association, and Petra Austrevicius, member of the Seimas of the opposition party, and attended a welcoming banquet. The entrepreneurs on the delegation had a discussion with representatives of the business circles of Lithuania.

Meetings

At the meetings with Lithuanian leaders, CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin briefed them on the work of the CPAFFC and the great achievement China has won in all fields since the country adopted the policy of reform and opening up, especially the just successfully concluded Beijing Olympic Games. She answered questions on Chinas policy on minority ethnic groups, the development of nongovernmental organizations, enterprise tax and welfare, friendship city cooperation, etc. raised by the Lithuanian side.

Deputy Speaker Alfredas Pekeliunas congratulated China on the success of the Beijing Olympics. He said, the Beijing Olympic Games, the best ever held, has not only proved to the world that China is a great power in sports, but also set a fine example of a nation publicizing and showing itself to the world. Justinas Karosas and Bronislovas Genzelis had visited China several times and witnessed the tremendous changes taken place in the country since reform and opening up. They held, China has achieved fast economic growth and enjoyed higher international standing. The Beijing Olympics has provided China with the best opportunity to demonstrate its rich culture of 5,000 years and its scientific and technological achievements in modernization. Those present at the meetings all expressed their hope to further promote bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and other fields.

Exchanges and Cooperation

Deputy Speaker Pekeliunas said, he is happy to see representatives of Chinese enterprises visiting Lithuania and hoped that the two sides would conduct more substantial economic and trade cooperation. He added, the Seimas of Lithuania and himself are willing to push forward exchanges and cooperation between entrepreneurs of the two countries. Petra Austrevicius, member of the Seimas, expressed appreciation of the efforts made by the CPAFFC to promote nongovernmental cooperation between Lithuania and China and hoped to co-sponsor symposiums on energy, climate change and sustainable development with the CPAFFC. LCFA President Genzelis said that the LCFA would carry out more concrete work to increase cultural exchanges between the two sides.

CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin thanked the Lithuanian side for their suggestions and said that the CPAFFC would cooperate closely with relevant Lithuanian friendship organizations and hold rich and colourful activities to further understanding and friendship between the people of China and Lithuania.