USCPFA Congratulates CPAFFC on 60 Years of Friendship Work

The US-China Peoples Friendship Association （USCPFA） sends our most heartfelt congratulations to the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries （CPAFFC）， as the organization celebrates its sixtieth anniversary in 2014. We applaud the extraordinary friendship work that has been accomplished in the 60-year history of the CPAFFC， which will continue and expand under the capable and remarkable leadership of President Li Xiaolin.

The CPAFFC has been instrumental in linking cities and regions of China and of other countries， and in linking countries with China. China has established 2，022 sister-city relationships in 131 countries. The CPAFFC brings these together in a biennial conference to consider common concerns and identify best practices. These face-to-face encounters build friendship and understanding. This spirit of cooperation with so many people in so many different places contributes to world stability and strengthens world peace efforts.

USCPFA celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and， since its beginning， USCPFA has been involved with the CPAFFC. In September 2012， USCPFA leaders were proud to be among the 700 delegates representing 95 cities in 49 countries and 90 Chinese cities at the China International Friendship Cities Conference. At the 2010 CIFCC in Shanghai， the USCPFA delegation was able （with the help of the CPAFFC and the Carter Center） to present an engraved USCPFA medallion to former President Jimmy Carter to acknow- ledge his “extraordinary achievements in U.S.-China relations.” This brought us full circle， because Mr. Carter was president when the American government established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on Jan. 1， 1979 — a moment for which USCPFA had worked.

Over its 40 years， USCPFA has organized and/or hosted many educational people-to-people exchanges through tours and delegations， photograph and art exhibits， and exchange of publications. In the early 1980s， the CPAFFC hosted an annual Local Leaders delegation of about sixteen active USCPFA members （3-4 from each region） and a leader. These tours introduced chapter leaders to different areas of China， providing briefings at local factories and other sites； there was always a gracious meeting at CPAFFC headquarters. Some of these groups received 16-mm films to bring back for use at chapter meetings， to acquaint Americans with Chinese culture. These films later became part of USCPFA’s film library. The CPAFFC-hosted Familiarization Tours were designed to train USCPFA members to become future tour leaders， in order to introduce more Americans to China. The CPAFFC continues to host USCPFA tours as a part of our continuing exchange. Then and now， CPAFFC tour guides （and other staff） become good friends with tour participants because of their friendly and efficient manner and their gracious hospitality. For some years， USCPFA chapters/members home-hosted CPAFFC staff members who were in the U.S. for short-term study.

USCPFA’s Seminar on US-China Relations （held in Washington DC） is an important tool for accomplishing its purpose of promoting friendship and understanding between the peoples of China and the U.S. We are pleased to host CPAFFC representatives or delegations who attend and speak at the Seminar and at National Conventions. A three-member delegation recently came to the USCPFA National Convention in Richmond， Virginia， and we look forward to having CPAFFC representatives at the next Seminar on U.S.-China Relations on April 24-25， 2014.

The CPAFFC provided a generous gift of $10，000 to help in the rebuilding process in the southern part of the U.S.， badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Channeled through USCPFA， the money was used to help Alba Middle School in Bayou La Batre， Alabama， refurnish its storm-damaged library. USCPFA volunteers visited the school several times and helped select and purchase special items， building another bridge of friendship.

My first trip to China in 1993 led me on an incredible life journey to learn more about China， its culture and its people. Our Youxie guides were “fountains of wisdom” and so patient with us. Traveling extensively throughout China， I met people from all walks of life which exponentially expanded my horizons and positively changed and impacted my teaching in music and international studies. I thank the Chinese people and the CPAFFC for their constant kindnesses and fabulous hospitality shown to USCPFA over these many years.

With great excitement and anticipation， USCPFA looks forward to working with the CPAFFC to create new avenues of friendship for the future. Let us look ahead together and see what we can do to invigorate our long-sustaining members and initiate concrete ways to energize more young people and students to see the importance of working together for successful outcomes in international relations that will mutually benefit all of us.

May the peoples of the United States and China always reach out to each other compassionately， and walk both ways on the open Bridge of Friendship for decades to come.