Twenty Five Years’ Friendship with CPAFFC

The year 2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries （CPAFFC）. On behalf of the Association for Germany-China Friendship Donnersberg （AGCF-Donnersberg）， I wish to extend my sincere congratulations.

In September 2013， our own association celebrated its 25th birthday. Looking back， we have cooperated with the CPAFFC for a quarter of a century.

I can’t help thinking of my first visit to China in 1985， three years before the inception of our association. At that time， we didn’t expect that the visit would change our lives so profoundly. Frankly speaking， when the plane landed on the shabby-looking Beijing Capital Airport， my mind was full of misconceptions and prejudices against this country. But in the following days， I was deeply touched by its time-honored glorious culture and hospitable people. In them I saw a noble character， i.e.， a strong will to build up a happy homeland from scratch， which reminded me of my childhood in Germany after the Second World War.

Later， I visited China many times， and my admiration for the country and its people was increasing with the passing days. What I aspire to now， is to let more German people know how lovely China and the Chinese people are， and to see how the promotion of Germany-China friendship will benefit both countries. I am happy to see that our years’ efforts to promote friendship have contributed to dispelling skepticism and prejudice.

Reviewing the Germany-China relationship， there are no longer any problems left over from history. The German and Chinese people admire each other’s splendid cultures. On my first visit， I had a chance to call on the CPAFFC. It is admirable and， indeed a source of envy， that the Chinese Government so strongly backs the CPAFFC， an organization specially engaged in non-governmental external communication and promotion of friendship between China and foreign countries. This fully shows China’s goodwill to other countries in the world.

Though in Germany every municipal and state government has the department for external communication， most of the friendship-with-China organizations are operated in the form of associations established by private individuals. However， both the German people-to-people friendship organizations and the CPAFFC are rich in experience and proficient in the principles and methods for intercultural communication. Thus， we develop a real， permanent and warm friendship between us.

Here， I sincerely thank the CPAFFC for its successful cooperation with our association. The activities jointly held and exchanges of visits are most impressive， and the support and help rendered to us by the CPAFFC is too numerous to mention. They are all of great significance in our lives.

Here again， I wish to express my gratitude to the CPAFFC and the friendship associations of various Chinese provinces and cities that keep cooperation with us. Wishing our exchanges and cooperation in the future will continue to be as close and smooth as ever.

“With a good friend， no road is long.”