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A CPAFFC delegation led by its president Chen Haosu paid a goodwill visit to Norway and Estonia from April 15 to 24. The visit was made at the invitation of the Norway-China Association (NCA) and the Estonia-China Friendship Association (ECFA).

The delegation called on State Secretary Ms. Wenche Lyngholm who is also vice minister of government administration and Reform and Environment Minister Mr. Erik Solheim of Norway, and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ms. Kristina Ojuland and Chairman of the Olympic Committee Mr. Mart Siimann of Estonia.

At the meetings, the Norwegian and Estonian leaders and friendly personages expressed their best wishes for the Olympic Games that would soon be held in Beijing and their conviction that China would offer an eye-catching Olympics. President Chen Haosu told friends in the two countries, the Olympic Games is a grand sports gathering of the whole humanity, through which the Chinese people hope to convey goodwill to the people of all countries in the world, deepen mutual understanding and trust, increase friendship and make contributions to world peace. The Chinese people would greet the opening of the Games with their outstanding preparation.

The delegation came into contact with leaders of the city governments of the Norwegian capital Oslo, Estonian capital Tallinn and Tartu, Rakvere, Viljandi and Kuresaare of Estonia. President Chen Haosu briefed them on one of the main tasks of the CPAFFC which is to promote international cooperation between the local governments of China and other countries. He said that Norway and Estonia had much experience that China could learn and hoped that more personnel exchanges would be carried out between the local governments of China and the two countries so that they could learn from each other and borrow each others experience to promote mutually beneficial cooperation. A representative of the Hangzhou Municipal Government on the delegation reached preliminary agreement with the government of Tallinn on the establishment of friendship-city relations. The twinning of friendship ties between the two cities will fill the vacancy of friendship cities between the two countries. With the help of the CPAFFC, the Port of Tallinn and the Port of Ningbo have established good cooperative relations.

The delegation also had meetings with the Norway-China Association and the Estonia-China Friendship Association and exchanged views on strengthening friendly contact and promoting China-Norway and China-Estonia people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

NCA President Kjetil Krane is an old friend of the Chinese people. He has assumed the presidency of the Association for the second time since its inception in 1969. He said, contacts between friends usually go through a process of getting to know, understanding and trust and the key is mutual trust. President Chen Haosu expressed appreciation of what the NCA had done to further the friendship between China and Norway and held that the two sides should continue to increase exchanges and expand areas of cooperation.

The CPAFFC delegations visit to Estonia was the first personnel exchange between the CPAFFC and the ECFA. Set up in 2007, the ECFA works to enhance friendly exchanges and cooperation in the economic, trade, cultural, educational, sports and other fields with China and strives to become an accomplished friendship-with-China organization. During the meeting, President Chen expressed the hope that the two organizations would exchange visits and conduct other exchanges on a regular basis. He extended an invitation to the ECFA president to lead a delegation to visit China.