On June 20, 2019, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin met with Yanibel Abrego, president of the National Assembly of Panama and a delegation.

CPAFFC Vice-President Song Jingwu stood with Chinese and Russian youths who attended the opening ceremony of the activity — retracing the ‌70 years of friendship between and Russia. Contents

Voice of Friendship stems from Interview Shi Jing (Book of Songs). 04 Interview with Bulgarian Ambassador to China H.E. Grigor Porozhanov / Staff Reporter

China and Central and Eastern European Countries 07 Former Bulgarian student reminisces about her days in China / Iskra Doumkova, PhD

09 Former Czech President Klaus, promoter and practitioner of China-Czech relations / Huo Yuzhen

05 11 An outstanding envoy of friendship between China and Romania / Luo Dongquan

14 Stories behind establishment of Czech-China diplomatic relations / Ivan Bakesova

View 16 “Wandering national treasures” witnessing blend of Eastern and Western civilizations / Lian Jianlei 14 20 Xi Jinping in my eyes and those of my Peruvian friends / Meng Kexin

22 Our “Belt and Road” / Wang Qi

25 China’s Miracles / Jinith de Silva

27 Veteran diplomat shares stories with Chinese and Japanese youths / Shen Haiting

Cultural Exchanges 39 29 A Journal of Canaan / Li Zhe

31 When “the most Chinese” meets “the most Italian” / Yang Le

34 Picking floating wine cups from winding creek / Wenwen

36 Musical Dream of Youth takes stage in the Great Hall of the People / Liu Wenwen and Hua Jiaguang

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2 NO.197 September 2019

37 Cartoon exhibition promotes exchanges between Chinese, Japanese youths / Liu Wenwen and Wang Hao

Warm Reminiscences

38 Once upon a time in Bussiere’s Garden / He Yan

43 Lao Dong and his story of a small city / Yan

46 and Rewi Alley’s China complexes / Liu Guozhong

Between Friendship Cities Published in Chinese and English 52 Links Between Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu debuts in British Museum / Friendship Association Front Cover: On Aug 12, 2019, 53 Jiangxi attends Fifth China-US Governors Forum / Jiangxi Friendship Association CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin met with Ahad Mohammadi, 55 2019 Hungarian Youth Culture Tour a success president of the Iran-China / Guangdong Friendship Association Friendship Association.

56 Dialogue deepens friendship between China, France / Wang Xi

Express News

57 Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan marks 70th anniversary of Mongolian ties / Wu Jiong Sponsored and published by the Chinese People’s Association for 58 Vice-President Xie meets UPS president of global public affairs / Jin Hanghang Friendship with Foreign Countries 58 Vice-President Hu Sishe meets with Swiss federal parliamentarian / Liu Jiayun Editor-in-Chief: Gao Weimin 59 Vice-President Lin Yi meets with the new president of Swiss-China Association / Sun Jiao Address: 1 Taijichang St., , 100740, China 59 Vice-President Song Jingwu meets with Bologna vice-mayor / Wang Zeyu

60 Secretary-General Li Xikui attends forum and ceremony / Shao Shuai Fax: (010) 65122782 E-mail: [email protected] 60 Japanese delegation comes to Shenyang for exchange / Shenyang Friendship Association http://www.cpaffc.org.cn http://www.qikan.com ISSN 1000-9582 CN11-1234/D

3 Interview

Interview with Bulgarian Ambassador to China H.E. Grigor Porozhanov

Staff Reporter

Bulgaria followed the Soviet ister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Pop- One very good example of our Union in recognizing the People’s tomov sent a positive response to friendly bilateral relations, which also Republic of China in 1949 and Chinese Foreign Minister . shows the mutual trust between our establishing diplomatic relations. Now, 70 years later, China has devel- nations, was the search and rescue This year marks the 70th anniversary. oped into a prosperous country and has mission for a missing Bulgarian citizen Over the past decades, despite some made remarkable economic and social around Xixabangma Mountain in ups and downs, the China-Bulgaria progress, becoming the world’s second May 2018. I would like once again to relationship has become increasingly largest economy. Over the past seven express our heartfelt gratitude to the prosperous, with extensive exchanges decades, through joint efforts, Bulgaria Chinese government for the assistance and cooperation seen in various fields. and China have made significant ac- it rendered to the Bulgarian government In July this year, President Xi Jinping complishments in bilateral cooperation in organizing the unprecedented search held talks with Bulgarian President in the political, economic, cultural and and rescue mission in the PRC. Rumen Radev at the Great Hall of the educational spheres. People in Beijing during Radev’s state I take this opportunity to express Bulgaria, as a bridge linking visit to China. They lifted state-to-state my sincere gratitude to all former Europe and Asia, is in a prime relations to a strategic partnership. generations of politicians, diplomats, geographical position. Under the Would you share with us your views entrepreneurs, educators and artists who Belt and Road framework and the on the development of friendly ties have contributed to the development 17+1 mechanism between China between China and Bulgaria? of Bulgaria-China relations and to and Central and Eastern European Answer: In 2019 we commemo- the increasing mutual understanding countries, China and Bulgaria have rate the 70th anniversary of the es- between both nations. I also express my conducted increasingly multifaceted tablishment of diplomatic relations sincere hope that our common efforts exchanges. What are your expectations between Bulgaria and China. Bulgaria will further deepen and strengthen aboutpragmatic cooperation between was the second country to establish cooperation for the sake of future the two countries? diplomatic relations with the People’s generations. Let us all look forward to Answer: During the last year, Republic of China. On Oct 3, 1949, strengthening our partnership in the we advanced our high-level political only a day after the Chinese govern- years to come, bearing in mind the dialogue and pooled efforts for raising ment proposed the establishment of ancient saying of Confucius: “Looking relations to a new and higher level. The diplomatic relations, Bulgarian Min- into the future, learning from the past”. official visit of Premier Li Keqiang

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to Bulgaria and the Seventh Summit cooperation so far: the region of its partner, Sofia. This is of China and Central and Eastern The establishment in Sofia of just one example of how the strategic European Countries in Sofia in July the Global Partnership Center will partnership can be implemented at the 2018 have provided substantial impetus ensure the transparency of China-CEE local level to improve people’s lives for the aforementioned development cooperation and will raise awareness of and contribute to a better understanding and have further cemented our friendly the relevant EU rules and regulations. of their partners. and cooperative ties, raising them to a The center plans to organize training new height and adding a wider regional and consulting activities to promote Chinese culture is very popular dimension to them. The fourth 16+1 cooperation in trade, investment among Bulgarians. In Bulgaria, Local Leaders Meeting in October and infrastructure to help Chinese more and more local people tend to 2018 provided an important follow- businesses better understand the celebrate the traditional Chinese New up, and today we are witnessing active legislation of the EU, as well as that Year, watch documentaries on China exchanges between Bulgarian and of Central and Eastern European and learn the . How Chinese provinces. countries. Our nation is the host of the should China and Bulgaria further The cooperation between center for promotion of cooperation promote cultural exchanges? companies on both sides has further in agriculture, as well as the first Answer: Cultural and educational strengthened and resulted in a demonstration center for e-commerce relations are experiencing unprecedent- considerable impact on other important under the 17+1 initiative. ed intensity. Significant steps have been aspects of our relationship. We are happy that on the local taken toward further strengthening our In July 2019, during his state visit government level the cooperation is in- cooperation in the areas of science and to China, the president of Bulgaria, creasing, and I commend Jiangxi prov- technology. The partnership between H.E. Rumen Radev, held talks with ince for organizing its first agricultural Bulgarian and Chinese universities is President Xi Jinping, and the two sides seminar for officials and experts from expanding, and people-to-people ties agreed to raise the bilateral relations to a level of a strategic partnership, with the aim of expanding cooperation in the areas of tourism, agriculture, trade, investment, innovation and technology infrastructure. My expectations on the pragmatic cooperation are for an increase in Bulgarian exports to China and successfully attracting more Chinese investments, tourists and students to Bulgaria, strengthening academic, cultural, local government-level and people-to-people exchanges. Bulgaria hopes to bring more Bulgarian products to the Chinese market. Here I will mention some of the pragmatic results of our bilateral Bulgarian Ambassador to China H.E. Grigor Porozhanov

5 Interview

are already shaping a better future for their shopping in online Chinese stores. about 40,000 historical monuments the next generation. registered there, 36 cultural reserves, That idea is what leads Bulgar- Bulgaria, on the coast of the 160 monasteries, and more than 300 ian university students to broaden Black Sea, boasts rich tourism re- museums and galleries. their horizons by coming to China to sources. It enjoys a time-honored his- I would like to mention a few study Chinese and what leads Chinese tory. There are a lot of historic sites in highlights for this year’s tourism in to study in Bulgaria, a proud member the country, some of which are world of the European Union. It’s also what cultural and natural heritages. Bul- Bulgaria. We are proud to have the Eu- leads Chinese to travel to Bulgaria to garia’s rose oil and yogurt are also ropean capital of culture for 2019 — explore its natural beauty and learn well-known to many Chinese people. Plovdiv. Many events and activities about its unique history at the cross- China has been the world’s largest will be held throughout the year, and I roads of Europe. Currently, around outbound tourist source country for encourage all of you to visit Plovdiv in 4,000 students in Bulgaria are studying many consecutive years, and Bulgaria this special moment. the Chinese language and culture. At is one of the hot tourist destinations We should not forget the famous the same time, the number of Chinese overseas for Chinese visitors. Could Bulgarian products, such as yogurt, students studying the Bulgarian lan- you please share with us the outline of roses, honey and wine, which are an guage in the PRC is increasing, and I Bulgaria’s tourism? Can you recom- am happy that at the moment there are mend some scenic spots to our read- indispensable part of Bulgarian cul- four universities in China where Bul- ers? ture and cuisine. I encourage read- garian is taught. Answer: As I mentioned earlier, ers to also visit the rose festivals in Recently we held the first Bulgar- last year Bulgaria hosted two major the Rose Valley, the yogurt festivals, ian language speech contest, aiming to meetings in the framework of the Chi- to spend some time in the luxurious showcase the traditions and achieve- na-CEEC cooperation initiative, and Bulgarian wineries and chateaus and ments of Bulgarian language studies in we welcomed Premier Li in our capital, to indulge in spas around the country China and to urge businesses and local Sofia. In a news conference together with their naturally hot mineral water. governments to engage with Bulgarian with Bulgarian Premier Boiko Borisov, The Bulgarian government, in- language experts for further solidifica- Mr Li shared his impressions about the tion of bilateral relations, cooperation oldest processed gold artifacts, which cluding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in trade and investment and people- were found in Bulgaria from 7,000 and the Bulgarian embassy in Beijing to-people exchanges. In my capacity years ago. The Chinese premier stated are dedicated to facilitating the travel as the Bulgarian ambassador to China his intention to promote Bulgaria and of Chinese tourists to Bulgaria. This I will continue to assist in the estab- its treasures to Chinese tourists. year, Bulgaria has opened visa applica- lishment of contacts, cooperation and As President Xi Jinping says, tion centers in 15 cities in the People’s sister relationships between cities and tourism is an important channel for dif- Republic of China, and of course, all provinces, universities, schools, think ferent countries and cultures to commu- Chinese citizens can apply for Bulgari- thanks and cultural institutions from nicate with each other, an effective way an visas there. We would also welcome Bulgaria and China. of developing a country’s economy Finally, I would like to mention and a key industry to improve people’s the establishment of a direct flight link that restaurants serving Chinese cuisine lives. between Bulgaria and China, so that are extremely popular in Bulgaria and Bulgaria occupies only 2 per- the distance between us would shrink, also that many Bulgarians prefer to do cent of Europe’s territory, but there are physically and metaphorically.

6 China and Central and Eastern European Countries

Former Bulgarian student reminisces about her days in China

Iskra Doumkova, PhD

t was an autumn morning and the combination. I had been mesmerized ple’s Republic of China began. Repre- I cloudless crystal blue sky was by all the exotic colors and their mix- sentatives from all sectors of society shining brightly, reminding me of my tures since my first arrival in China. marched along the avenue in front of hometown, Sofia, after having spent Colors such as red and blue can coexist the stands. There were factory workers, two weeks in Beijing. harmoniously together. When they are university teachers and scholars. At around 9 am, on Oct 1, 1962, matched perfectly, enchanting visual The representatives of China’s as part of a group of overseas students effects will be achieved. For example, minority ethnic groups impressed me studying at Peking University, we gath- the paintings on the ceilings and pillars most deeply. They wore their tradition- ered in Tian’anmen Square in the view- of the Long Corridor of the Summer al costumes, unique in color and style. ing stand located at the foot of the front Palace exhibit the perfect combination Clothing from northern China was wall of the Forbidden City. Leaders of deep reds and blues. thick and warm, while that from the of the People’s Republic of China and Representatives of foreign embas- south was silky, light and thin, which the Communist Party of China could sies were also standing nearby. They offered us a glimpse of the beauty of be seen on the balcony overseeing the were from European and Asian socialist the diverse cultures of China’s minority square after they ascended the wall countries, as well other countries such ethnic groups. from the left. as Cuba and Switzerland. The stand Through extensive reading, I I looked around, curious about next to ours held Party and government learned that China is a country of many everything. By my side was a Buddhist leaders, as well as leaders from facto- ethnicities. Each group has its own monk. It was the first time I had seen ries, schools and research institutes, unique culture. I was amazed by the one of them, and I was amazed by his along with representatives from all display of different ethnic minority presence. His posture, the serenity on walks of life. cultures, which is why I still remember his face, the color and style of his robe The Party and country leaders of people from those groups attending that were all impressive. I still remember China could be seen on a balcony atop ceremony. his robe was purple-red and yellow, the wall. They were so far away that I The most remarkable thing was which, when matched together, created could not clearly see their faces. the vibrant enthusiasm and excitement the so-called ancient golden robe. It When everyone was standing still, aroused by the ceremony, given that the was a peculiar color for European eyes, the ceremony celebrating the 13th an- year, 1962, was such a harsh time for but one had to admit it was a successful niversary of the founding of the Peo- the new republic.

7 China and Central and Eastern European Countries

After the ceremony, the overseas 1950s, the prime minister and other published in Bulgaria, and after the student affairs division of Peking Uni- Bulgarian state leaders visited China. publication of China: Revolution and versity, which had invited us, ushered Bilateral relations began to develop Reform in 1989, commemorating the us to the back of the stands and into across many areas, including student 40th anniversary of the founding of the the entrance of the Forbidden City. We exchanges. Bulgaria was especially in- PRC and the 10th anniversary of the saw a line of low houses with French terested in the extraordinary progress reform and opening-up policy, influ- windows on the left-hand side. Flower China had made in agriculture at the ential academic works by academician beds were planted at the foot of the time. Nichol Popov were also published in windows. Chrysanthemums and dahlias Unfortunately, the relationship sequence. They included China’s Eco- were blooming in pots glazed a deep between the countries stagnated in the nomic Miracle, Selected Works of Deng green, 60 to 70 centimeters high. 1960s and 1970s. Xiaoping, China’s Agricultural Reform, On the right were three to four * Normalization and expansion. A ’s Social Economic rooms with their doors open wide. The President Wang Bingnan of the Chinese Development and others. A series of rooms were relatively small, with doors People’s Association for Friendship works on , both clas- made of brown wood. Around a dozen with Foreign Countries visited Bulgaria sic and modern, were also published. people were in the center of a room, all in the mid-1980s, which greatly pro- Some of those works were au- of them men. Several of the men faced moted the development of Bulgaria- thored by members of the Bulgaria- the corridor, along which we moved China relations. State visits by leaders China Friendship Association. The Bul- slowly. of both countries in the late 1980s laid garia-China Friendship Association, an Two of them in bright gray gab- a solid foundation for the fast develop- NGO, was established in 1993. Since ardine suits immediately caught my ment of ties. then, it had been chaired by Popov, a eye. They were Chairman * Cooperation. In the 1990s, co- renowned economist, underground an- and Premier Zhou Enlai, and they gen- operation between the two countries ti-fascist resistance movement activist tly cast their eyes on us. That moment narrowed. But from the early 2000s to in World War II and former president of would remain fresh in my memory for the recent decade, they have carried out Sofia University. He died in 2015. The years to come. That’s perhaps the abil- extensive cooperation in multiple sec- leadership of the association comprises ity that leaders are endowed with. They tors, including at the subnational level. revered scholars, university professors, not only unite people with great minds During the past 25 to 30 years, the businessmen and famous Sinologists. but also create lingering impressions. two countries have made positive prog- The major tasks of the association in- This year marks the 70th anniver- ress in cultural and educational coop- clude promoting the establishment and sary of the establishment of diplomatic eration. In 1990, Chinese literature as a consolidation of Bulgaria-China rela- ties between Bulgaria and China. The major was established at Sofia Univer- tions in multiple areas and deepening People’s Republic of Bulgaria was the sity. The major was later established in Bulgarian society’s understanding of second country, after the , another ancient Bulgarian city, Veliko China. The association has established to recognize the People’s Republic of Tarnovo. Chinese courses were taught its reputation through steady efforts to China when it was founded. in Sofia and other cities. A Confucius draw more attention from all sectors of In the past 70 years, Bulgaria- Institute was also established in Sofia. Bulgaria to China. China relations have undergone suc- Bulgaria has long expressed deep One of the most important reasons cesses, trials and tribulations. interest in what was happening in Bulgarians are interested in learning * Rapid development. In the China. More books about China were more about China is its great success in

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Former Czech President reform. During the past 40 years, China has been quite successful in its reforms. Klaus, promoter and Its achievements in other areas were also notable. I was fortunate to witness practitioner of China-Czech the first 10 of those 40 years. From 1980 to 1990, I visited China almost every year. Apart from Beijing, I’ve relations been to many Chinese provinces and Huo Yuzhen was happy to witness the tremendous his year marks the 70th unique style, he has been regarded as transformation China had been through T anniversary of the establishment a political evergreen playing an active on an annual basis and the difficulties of diplomatic ties between China and part in Czech politics since the drastic Central and Eastern European countries, changes in Central and Eastern Euro- conquered one after another. including the Czech Republic. It pean countries. For example, the abandoning of coincides with the 70th anniversary of The “Velvet Divorce” will not be commodity rationing and the rapid con- the founding the People’s Republic of unfamiliar to those who know modern struction of new houses and roads was China. European history. The Czech Republic evident. During the 12 to 14 months of Looking back, one cannot help and Slovakia became two independent lamenting the passage of time. I still countries on Jan 1, 1993. The peace- my two visits, the living standards of remember the day 10 years ago when ful split was hailed as a remarkable the Chinese people were greatly raised. I hosted events celebrating the 60th example in international history of two There is no doubt that young Chinese anniversary of New China and the es- ethnic groups in one country peacefully enjoy more favorable living conditions tablishment of diplomatic ties between parting ways. Klaus was the major pro- China and the Czech Republic in my pelling force behind the process. than their parents. All these have added capacity as Chinese ambassador there, As an economist, Klaus is also to the happiness of our Chinese friends as if it had just happened yesterday. known as the chief designer of Czech and deserve serious thought by people The picture I took with Czech Presi- economic reform. The privatization of from other countries. dent Vaclav Klaus brings to life all my investment vouchers, invented by him May our Chinese friends enjoy the best memories about that country and as part of the reform plan, not only off- the president, who was the icebreaker, set the severe impact of institutional 70th anniversary of the establishment promoter and chief practitioner of Chi- transformation on the Czech economy of the People’s Republic of China, and na-Czech relations. but also stimulated the public’s inter- may we make new achievements in the During his political career, Klaus ests in participating in the economic re- future! served as finance minister and deputy form. Under his leadership, the Czech prime minister of the government of Republic successfully transformed its Czechoslovakia; prime minister; chair economy and led the new country out (The author is secretary-general of the Chamber of Deputies; and two- of the economic doldrums, ahead of of the Federation for Bulgarian-Chi- terms as president of the Czech Re- other Central and Eastern European nese Friendship) public. As a revered statesman with a countries.

9 China and Central and Eastern European Countries

A staunch supporter of the and economic progress. off because the leaders of the host Czech-China relationship, Klaus has He mentioned in particular that country’s met with the Dalai Lama, contributed immensely to promoting China’s reform and opening-up had which had been a severe blow to pragmatic cooperation between the two raised people’s happiness. Chinese China-Europe relations. Klaus, whose countries. In November 1989, drastic people enjoyed a better material life, country held the rotating presidency changes took place in Czechoslovakia with abundant consumer products in of the European Union at the time, with its political, social and economic their markets. He said he had noticed actively promoted the reopening of systems taking on transformation pedestrians much more fashionably dialogue between China and Europe. against the backdrop of China-Czech dressed than in Europe. And the The summit was successfully held relations turning cold. After the Czech speed of China’s development was in Prague. The Chinese delegation, Republic achieved independence, Prime unbelievably fast, enough to change the led by the premier, Wen Jiabao, was Minister Klaus keenly detected the world’s view of the country, he said. received with high standards during huge potential of China in economic In 2004, 10 years after his first the visit. The fruitful results achieved development, as seen in its reform visit, Klaus paid an official visit to by the summit sent a positive political and opening-up process. He expressed China as the first president of the Czech signal to the world and indicated that on many occasions his desire to visit Republic. No Czech president had China-Europe relations had returned China as early as possible to improve visited China since the drastic changes to a sound track of development, bilateral relations. undergone by the countries of Eastern having profound significance in With joint efforts from both sides, Europe. Chinese-Czech relations deepening political mutual trust and Klaus visited Beijing in October 1994 as witnessed an apparent growth after that win-win cooperation between China the new republic’s first prime minister to visit, which lasted eight days, covering and Europe and promoting the China- visit China. The successful visit marked the cities of Beijing, , Europe comprehensive strategic a milestone in Chinese-Czech relations. and . I was lucky partnership. In preparing for this visit with to accompany him for a second time. With the continuous development my Czech counterparts, I noticed that I still remember he proudly told me: of Chinese-Czech relations, both Klaus attached great importance to the “When I visited China 10 years ago the working relations and personal visit, as he had done thorough research as prime minister, I predicted China’s friendship between me and Klaus, and investigation before embarking. future development by describing three together with his wife, went ever deeper. He read ’s famous 1992 Chinese cities. I was full of confidence Klaus offered me some special favors, speech in South China to acquire a deep about China’s rise. Ten years later, what perhaps because of his respect for understanding of China’s top political I predicted before has become reality. women, or perhaps because I was among design for its reform and opening-up. It has been proved that the Chinese the very few foreign ambassadors During the visit, he concluded leaders and I share the same mindset.” stationed in Prague who spoke no Czech. his impression of China’s overall As a politician with vision and More than other reasons, however, development with succinct remarks on sagacity, Klaus not only promoted I think it was because of China’s three Chinese cities. He said that Xi’an the improvement and development important role as a major world power. represents the country’s history, Beijing of Czech-Chinese relations, but also Klaus invited me to attend various exhibits the status quo and Shanghai played a significant role in promoting activities held at the Presidential Palace symbolizes its future. After the visit, the development of Europe-China and to introduce China’s development he published an article in Czech relations. In December 2008, the 11th in multiple fields. He also attended newspapers sharing his impressions of China-Europe Summit, scheduled receptions and banquets held by the China and briefing people on its social to be held in France, had to be put Chinese embassy. I was particularly

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moved by the farewell banquet hosted by the president and his wife at the Golden Hall of the Presidential Palace honoring me and my husband upon my departure from office, making me the An outstanding envoy of first foreign ambassador to be invited to the Golden Hall. friendship between China and Not long ago, one of my former colleagues at the embassy told me that Klaus had asked about my recent Romania condition when meeting with the newly appointed Chinese ambassador to the Czech Republic, Zhang Jianmin. After nine years, Klaus had kept me in mind. In memory of Florea Dumitrescu, It tenderly touched my heart. In retirement, Klaus continued to keep close watch on China’s president of the Romania-China development, especially the Belt and Road Initiative. He spared no effort in enhancing the friendship between Friendship Association the Czech Republic and China. In May, he visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Massacre by Japanese Invaders. He presented a Luo Dongquan wreath of flowers to the victims and solemnly wrote down these words in the guest book: “We cannot forget this history and should prevent this t has been a year since President ambassador to China from 1978 to anti-human atrocity from happening I Florea Dumitrescu of the Romania- 1983, governor of the National Bank again.” His profound sympathy for and China Friendship Association passed of Romania from 1984 to 1989 and friendliness toward the Chinese went away, but his voice and face still linger vice-president of the National Reserve beyond expression. in my memory. Bank. He had been president of the The 70th anniversary definitely Florea Dumitrescu was born on Romania-China Friendship Association marks a milestone in Chinese-Czech April 4, 1927, into a peasant family since 1995. relations. At the threshold of a new in Teleorman in southern Romania. Dumitrescu had been involved in phase of history, I hope people of After graduation in 1949 from the De- research on economy, trade and finance vision from both countries follow partment of Finance and Loan at the for many years, with fruitful achieve- Klaus’s footsteps, taking the promo- Bucharest School of Economics, Du- ments including a great number of tion of good relations as their own re- mitrescu engaged in the financial in- publications and theses, and had made sponsibility and jointly writing a new dustry until being appointed minister of tremendous contributions to currency chapter of friendship between the finance, a post in which he served from stabilization and the economic develop- people of the two countries. 1969 to 1978. He served as Romanian ment of Romania. Dumitrescu won the

11 China and Central and Eastern European Countries

third level of the Labor Medal and the try and for Romania-China relations a inces to discover new areas, potentials second level of the Star of the Repub- great amount of good things.” and chances for mutual cooperation. lic of Romania Medal. Meanwhile, he The manager of the Romanian- Through his elaborate work and both devoted himself to developing friendly Chinese House wrote: “Dumitrescu sides’ joint efforts, bilateral trade vol- relations between China and Roma- was a promoter of cooperation between ume in the 1980s set a historical record nia. He was always considered a great Romania and China, a diplomat com- of $1 billion. Romania led other East- envoy of friendship between the two mitted to developing traditional coop- ern European countries by far in terms countries. erative relations between the peoples of of trade volume. both sides.” In an interview by Li Jiayu from Deep condolences A vice-president of the Associa- the CRI in 2003, Dumitrescu recalled from the two peoples tion said: “Romania lost a great figure, his many meetings with Deng Xiaop- News of Dumitrescu’s death on a man whose feet were deeply planted ing, the chief architect of China’s April 16, 2018, broke the hearts of in his motherland while his eyes were reform and opening-up, when he ac- all his friends in China and Romania. surveying the world, a man with Roma- companied important visiting delega- Through emails and WeChat messag- nia at heart and the whole world in his tions from Romania. During one of the es, people expressed their respect and view.” meetings, Deng asked him his opinion condolences and praised his honesty, Tania Iancu, daughter of David as an economist on China’s goal of knowledge and earnest working style. Iancu (a Romanian doctor who shared quadrupling its gross domestic product The Chinese People’s Association similar experiences with Dr Bethune): in 20 years. He answered: “China has for Friendship with Foreign Countries “The news of Dumitrescu’s death al- all the potential and chances to realize and the China-Romania Friendship most broke my heart. What whole- that grand goal. But the economic sys- Association jointly sent a message of hearted devotion to relations between tem must be changed. Only by reform- condolence saying: “Florea Dumitrescu Romania and China! Before Spring ing can people’s initiatives and sense of had long committed himself to the de- Festival in 2018, at his advanced age, responsibility be stimulated.” velopment of Romania-China friendly Dumitrescu still managed to attend and As it turned out, the policies car- relations. Leading the Romania-China address the event held by the Chinese ried out by Deng reached the goal in 15 Friendship Association for years, he embassy to which he attached great years rather than 20. made tremendous contributions to pro- importance and necessity in the further Dumitrescu valued Romania-Chi- moting friendly and pragmatic coop- development of bilateral friendly rela- na relations highly. He noted that since eration, enhancing friendship between tions and cooperation between Roma- the establishment of diplomatic ties be- the peoples by introducing China’s po- nia and China.” tween the two countries, relations had litical and economic conditions and tra- seen substantial development. An excellent ambassador ditional culture. His death has deprived “As the leaders of both countries the Chinese of a great friend.” China During his tenure as Romanian once said, deepened relations with Radio International published the full ambassador to China, Dumitrescu had fruitful achievements signal a special message in Romanian on its website. extensive contacts with Chinese people relationship that will bring win-win re- Chairman of the Romanian Euro- from all walks of life and was closely sults.” pean Tithulescu Foundation and former connected with many, from top lead- Founding the Romania-China prime minister Adrian Nastase said: ers of China and heads of ministries Friendship Association “The death of Dumitrescu is a loss for and commissions to people in Roma- all of us. He has done for our coun- nian circles. He visited many prov- The upheavals in Romania in

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1989 led to changes in the country’s nian media after returning home, he ob- oping friendly relations between the social and political systems. In order jectively introduced the great achieve- two countries to write reminiscences. to further traditional cooperative rela- ments of China’s reform and opening- The four volumes of the series — 234 tions between the two countries under up. articles written by 191 people — were the new conditions, Dumitrescu pulled “China in the late 20th century published on the 50th, 55th, 60th, and many good friends of China together surprised the world with the prospect 65th anniversaries of bilateral diplo- in 1995 to launch the Romania-China that she will create even greater mir- matic ties every fifth year from 1999 to Friendship Association. Soon after that, acles in the coming new century,” he 2014. The publication and distribution he began traveling around Romania wrote. of the books was another contribution tirelessly, gathering people from vari- He spoke highly of the role of the ous provinces who were friendly to Romanian branch of CRI in promoting made by Dumitrescu and his associa- China to set up the association’s local friendly cooperative relations between tion to the cause of friendship between branches. Wherever he went, he made the two countries. Every time a repre- the two countries and will undoubtedly speeches to sow the seeds of friend- sentative from CRI visited Romania, go down in history. ship. he would meet in person and host a In 2009, Li Xiaolin, who was the “During the process,” he said, “I welcoming banquet. Whenever CRI vice-president of the CPAFFC at the found that local administrations all had held an audience meeting in Roma- time, visited Romania and gave the title strong willingness to develop coopera- nia, Dumitrescu would lead the lead- of “Friendship Ambassador” to Dumi- tive relations with China and that all ing members of the Romania-China trescu. The title is the highest honor political parties, though with different Friendship Association to participate in given by the Chinese government and thoughts on governing, all had the same the event. In 2004 he led a delegation Chinese people to friends of all coun- policy toward China — that is, striving of the association to visit CRI and was tries who have made outstanding con- for a better relationship.” interviewed. He said: “The Romanian However, as with most other po- channel of CRI provides timely and ob- tributions to promoting friendship be- litical figures in Romania, Dumitrescu jective reporting, which enjoys grow- tween peoples and maintaining world was unsatisfied with the post-1989 re- ing influence in Romania and has won peace. lations. He believed that Romania not an ever growing audience.” Dumitrescu worked unswervingly only needed to develop relations with to enhance friendly relations between A masterpiece book on China- the European Union but also needed the Chinese and Romanian people until Romania relations to maintain and further its relations the last minute of his life. He once said: with old friends like China. He went to After the founding of the Roma- “The friendship between Romanian and nia-China Friendship Association, Du- many cities and rural areas to investi- Chinese people is the cornerstone of gate and found that “the efforts so far mitrescu and his fellow members of the relations of the two countries. It is my made were far from satisfying the Ro- association’s leading council made an lifelong mission to enhance this friend- manian people’s desire of developing ambitious decision: edit and publish a ship.” relations with China. Romania particu- series of books under the title 300-Year larly hoped to develop a good relation- Deep Relations between Romania and Though Dumitrescu has left us, ship because it will benefit both Roma- China. They invited Romanian Sinolo- his words and deeds left a brilliant nia and China.” gists, Chinese-Romanian language page in the history of China-Romania Dumitrescu visited China many scholars and other people who had relations and will be cherished by both times. In articles published in Roma- made important contributions to devel- peoples forever.

13 China and Central and Eastern European Countries

Stories behind establishment of Czech-China diplomatic relations

Ivan Bakesova

ct 6 this year will mark the 70th cations Department of the Czech gov- ute commentary from major European O anniversary of the establishment ernment, the Prague Branch of Xinhua newspapers, magazines and radio sta- of formal diplomatic relations between set up a radio station, the agency’s first tions about the CPC and in China and what is now Czechia. overseas office, and officially started English and Chinese. Third was to act On Oct 1, 1949, the People’s Re- transcribing its English communica- as an external liaison. The CPC Central public of China announced its found- tions. The Prague Branch of Xinhua Committee authorized it to conduct in- ing to the world, and five days later it had three tasks. First was to transcribe ternational diplomatic affairs on behalf was recognized by the government of the English communications of the of areas liberated by the CPC. Czechoslovakia. It was one of the early agency, typing and mimeographing the In Prague, Wu attended several countries to establish diplomatic rela- contents, and distributing the informa- nearby international conferences. Un- tions with China, and it’s widely known tion to Eastern and Western Europe, the der his leadership, the Prague branch that the friendly relationship developed , Africa, India and other achieved excellent results in various fast. However, few people know that places to publicize the situation in Chi- fields. Wu once served as vice-presi- ties between the Czechoslovakia gov- na at that time. Second was to distrib- dent of and head ernment and the Communist Party of China took root before the founding of New China. In the autumn of 1948, Czecho- slovakia allowed the CPC to set up a branch of Xinhua News Agency in Prague, with eight staff members headed by Wu Wentao. Hu Guocheng and Zhang Chanhua were among the eight. At that time, they held passports issued by the Kuomintang government in Nanjing, and in Prague they could apply for visas to European countries, which made it convenient for areas of China liberated by the CPC to carry out international communication with countries in Europe and elsewhere. In the spring of 1948, with sup- Ambassador F. C. Weiskopf and his wife with staff of the embassy of the port from the Post and Telecommuni- Czech Republic.

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of Xinhua’s northeast China bureau. In ture of Yan’an to the world. who had worked at the Czech embassy 1953, Wu returned to China and served While the delegation was in in the United States and then as the as vice-president of the Foreign Lan- Prague, it happened that the People’s Czech ambassador to Switzerland. He guage Press. Hu Guocheng married a Liberation Army of China took Nan- began working in Beijing in January Czech womon in Prague, and his chil- jing. The Czech government held a 1950. dren continue to live in the country. grand assembly with Chinese friends to There were many novices among In April 1949, the CPC sent a celebrate the PLA’s triumphant cross- the diplomatic staff of the newly es- 40-member delegation led by Guo ing of the River. Later, Guo tablished China. The Czech embassy Moruo to attend the World Congress of Moruo was invited to speak at the pres- in China enthusiastically helped China Peace in , France. On the journey tigious Charles University in Prague, cultivate diplomats, and the embassy by train across Siberia, they learned where he was awarded an honorary became a school for Chinese officials to that the French government had re- doctorate. His speech was published in learn diplomatic protocol. The informa- fused to issue entry visas. At this point, the magazine Novy Orient. tion was multi-faceted and interesting. Jaroslav Prusek, director of the Czech When the PLA first seized Nan- Czech experts taught the trainees inter- Oriental Institute, suggested that the jing, the Czech embassy was located national diplomatic etiquette, how to government of Czechoslovakia invite in the city. But by then the ambassa- receive foreign guests, how to arrange the delegation to visit that country. The dor had left China, and the first secre- a banquet and other important activities proposal was accepted. With the help of tary had gone to with Li in welcoming foreign heads of state. the Czech government, a branch meet- Zongren, the acting president of the Experts also showed how the wife of an ing of the World Congress of Peace was Kuomintang government, leaving only ambassador should appear elegant and set up in Prague, and the Chinese del- one staff member at the embassy. Af- how the wives of all diplomats should egation read the text of the speech they ter the PLA took over Nanjing, behave during diplomatic activities. had planned to deliver in Paris. Thus, Hua became director of the overseas Weiskopf forged profound friend- the congress, which was attended by Chinese affairs division of the Nanjing ships with Chinese diplomats and his representatives from 72 countries, was Military Control Commission. He in- work won accolades from the Chinese simultaneously and successfully held vited embassy officials of the Soviet government and diplomats. His efforts in Paris and Prague. The congress also Union, Czechoslovakia and Poland to and contributions to the diplomatic elected a permanent committee, which discuss cooperation after the establish- cause of New China are still deeply en- greatly promoted the development of ment of People’s Republic of China. graved in people’s minds. the world peace movement. Later, those three countries were the The CPC delegation to Prague first to recognize and establish diplo- (This article was written and ed- comprised writers, painters and intel- matic relations with the PRC. ited in Chinese with the help of Wu lectuals, including the famous painter In January 1950, the Czech em- Ruijun of the CPAFFC.) Beihong. They brought many nov- bassy moved to Beijing — the second Ivan Bakesova, the author, grad- els, picture albums and other publica- after the Soviet Union. At that time, uated in Sinology from Charles Uni- tions published in Yan’an, such as The when the Soviet ambassador was with versity in Prague. She once worked White Haired Girl, which was loved Chairman Mao Zedong on a visit to for the embassy of the Czech Republic by the public. The delegation presented Moscow, F. C. Weiskopf, the first am- in Beijing and has been devoted to all these books and publications to the bassador of Czechoslovakia to the Peo- friendly exchanges between Czechia Czech Oriental Institute. Sinologists ple’s Republic of China, was the only and China since her retirement. She is began to translate them into Czech and foreign ambassador in Beijing. now the secretary of the Czech China English, actively introducing the cul- Weiskopf was a senior diplomat Association.

15 View

“Wandering national treasures” witnessing blend of Eastern and Western civilizations

A visit of the National Treasures of Afghanistan exhibition

Lian Jianlei

hining gold crowns, lifelike ivory of the West and saw lots of rare and At the cultural crossroad S relief and exquisite statues of priceless treasures. He used the phrase of East and West goats … Bright and dazzling, more “utensils and ornamentals endlessly Afghanistan, located in the heart than 230 pieces or sets of Afghanistan fine” to describe the quality of various treasures presented a splendid utensils, costumes and other objects he of Eurasia, was surrounded by the picture of the country’s civilization, saw. Therefore, the current exhibition Pamirs in the east, the South Asia sub- demonstrated its unique value as a under this theme is highly significant. continent in the south, the Iranian Pla- center where Eastern and Western civilizations converged and revealed the historical origins of the blend and exchange of civilizations along the ancient Silk Road. During the Conference for Dia- logue of Asian Civilizations, the Uten- sils and Ornamentals Endlessly Fine: National Treasures from Afghanistan at the Cultural Crossroad of East and West exhibition was held at the Tsing- hua University Art Museum. The theme of the exhibition, “Utensils and orna- mentals endlessly fine”, derives from an ancient Chinese classic, Biography of Emperor Mu of the Western Zhou Dynasty (Mutianzi Zhuan), which re- cords the emperor’s travels in the West Paradise where he met Queen Mother

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teau in the west and the central Asian kingdom on the northern bank of Gui- the Kushan Empire period. All of these steppes in the north. It is one of the shui (Amu Darya). Around 139 to 130 point to the blending of multiple an- central Asian countries connecting East BC, the Yuezhi came to northern Af- cient civilizations. and West and linking Central Asia, ghanistan and destroyed the old Bactria Tepe Fullol western Asia and South Asia. It has of the Scythians and established a new been called the “key” to the South Asia Bactria. In 129 BC, Zhang Qian visited In 1965, it was said that some subcontinent in history, with a strategic Afghanistan, leaving the first Chinese farmers in Baghlan province, adjacent position so important that it has been footprint on the land. to the source area of lapis lazuli blue a place for which warring parties have During his second diplomatic crystal, discovered some exquisitely contended since ancient times. The Per- mission to the western regions, Zhang made gold and silver objects at a place sian Empire, the Turks and the Mon- Qian also visited Balkh, the capital of called Tepe Fullol. To divide and sell gols all left their traces on this land, Greater Yuezhi, now known as Wa- the products, the farmers cut them into making Afghanistan a giant melting pot zirabad in Afghanistan. In the Tang small pieces in different shapes. With of civilizations that nurtures Islam and Dynasty (618-907), the exchanges be- great effort by the staff of the National Hinduism and serves as a holy place for tween China and Afghanistan became Museum of Afghanistan, pieces of five Buddhism. The famous master monk more frequent. Through the Silk Road, gold objects (940 grams in all) and 12 Xuanzang once traveled to this land. the two places’ knowledge about each silver objects (1,922 grams) were re- In history, various cultures have other was enriched, and exchanges be- covered. The patterns on them can be collided and merged in Afghanistan. tween them extended from economy divided into geometric patterns, animal Cyrus the Great incorporated it into and trade to culture and art. patterns and plain patterns. Their or- Persia during his expedition; Alexander Given its unique geographical lo- namentation was common in the early the Great established Hellenistic city cation and historical value, Afghanistan civilization of central Asia, which may states here during his eastward expedi- occupies an important position in the belong to the Amu Daryac civilization, tion; the once prominent Greco-Bactri- history of culture and trade exchanges a sedentary civilization in the Bronze an Kingdom was founded around 250 between China and the West. It has Age of Central Asia, or to Mesopota- BC. It was known as the Daxia King- bred brilliant and distinctive culture mian civilization in the region of the dom in ancient China and considered and won a reputation as the crossroads Tigris and the Euphrates. It proves that one of the richest areas in Asia and one of civilizations. Afghanistan has been a place where of the most important regions in the multiple cultures have overlapped since Shining civilization middle section of the Silk Road. the development of early human civili- Afghanistan’s ties with China date The 230-plus pieces of Afghani- zation. back more than 2,000 years. Accord- stan treasures in the exhibit are divided The Golden Cup, made between ing to Records of the Grand Historical into four parts according to the sites 2200 and 1900 BC, was the oldest ar- Historian of China (Shi Ji) and The where they were unearthed — Tepe tifact in the exhibition. Despite its in- History of the (Han Shu), Fullol, Tilla Tepe and the city sites at complete shape, it displays clear and the Yuezhi nomads originally lived be- Ai-Khanum and Begram, — display- distinct exquisite patterns. Dr Jiang tween Dunhuang and the Qilian moun- ing the precious cultural heritage of Ruixia from Renmin University re- tains. When defeated by the Huns, they four historical periods: the Bronze marked that “among those patterns, the migrated westward, passed Da Yuan Age, the Hellenistic period, the period image of the bearded bull was obvious- (today’s Fergana Valley), conquered the from the invasion of the Yuezhi to the ly influenced by Mesopotamian civili- Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and built a establishment of Kushan Empire and zation, while other geometric patterns

17 View

show a strong flavor of Central Asia”. a joint team of archaeologists from the obvious nomadic traits. The lifelike This provides evidence of the commu- Soviet Union and Afghanistan exca- ram, made of pure gold, has a powerful nication and interaction of civilizations vated six tombs with vertical shafts and physique, and its curvy horns embody in the Bronze Age. unearthed nearly 22,000 pieces of ex- strength. quisite cultural relics made of various The Greek goddess Aphrodite on City site at Ai-Khanum materials including gold, silver, copper, display has a spot between her eye- In the late fourth century BC, Al- ivory and precious stones. This amaz- brows, which is an influence of the cul- exander, king of the Macedonian Em- ing collection of treasures, combining ture of India. Adding wings to the god- pire, led his army to Persia and brought various cultural traditions and artistic dess is an element of local culture. Greek civilization to Bactria (today’s styles, shows unique cross-cultural Chinese culture also had an im- Afghanistan). He built many Hellenistic characteristics and is one of the great- portant influence on the region, as cities. Ai Khanum, which means “lady est archaeological discoveries along the can be seen from the image of double moon” in Turki, was one of them. Ai Silk Road so far. dragons, a typical Chinese element, on Khanum is regarded as the Alexandria The unearthed silver of the a gold scabbard and a decorative orna- of the region by Amu Darya. Archaeo- Parthian Empire, gold coins of Rome, ment. logical evidence shows that Ai Khanum icons of Greek gods, bronze mirrors City site at Begram was a cosmopolitan city in the second and silk from China’s Western Han Dy- century BC, with priests, industrialists nasty (206 BC-AD 220), glassware of Begram is located at the conver- and intellectuals gathering here and pos- Syria and Egypt, ivory carvings of In- gence of two rivers, 60 kilometers north sessing almost all the characteristics of dia and gold ornaments in prairie style of Kabul, Afghanistan. Near Salang a Hellenistic city. further prove the internationality, cre- Pass at the southern foot of the Hindu Two Gods Driving A Chariot ativity and diversity of Afghanistan as Kush mountains, it is a place that links Plate, which was unearthed in Ai Kha- a crossroads of civilizations. the northern and southern parts of the mountains necessarily and convenient- num, shows a vivid picture of Helios, This dazzling array of gold shows the god of the sun in Greek mythology, wearing a crown of brilliant rays and staring from above as Cybele, the great mother of the gods, and Nike, the god of victory, drive a Central Asian chariot drawn by a lion. The costumes of the two goddesses show distinct Oriental flavor and the relic reveals a combina- tion of images from Greek mythology with local styles.

Tilla Tepe Tilla Tepe, literally “golden hill” or “golden mound”, located in northern Afghanistan was originally an altar of Zoroastrianism in the Bronze Age and was later used as a cemetery. In 1978,

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ly. Its strategic location is particularly There is no lack of Indian-style What stands behind the dignity of important, as it is still home to the objects among the relics found at Be- cultural relics is in fact the dignity of Begram Air Base, a place difficult for gram. An exquisitely crafted ivory the country and the nation. Only when outsiders to reach. During the age of plaque indicates that the South Asian a country or a nation is strong can it Alexander the Great, the fortress here style was once popular in the city. talk about dignity. As Chinese descen- had been garrisoned by a large number dants, we are proud of the continued A nation stays alive of troops. Traditionally, this area was growing strength of the motherland and when its culture stays alive called Kapisa. Xuan Zang, a monk of its splendid 5,000-year culture. the , passed through this It is hard to imagine that all these “A nation stays alive, when its area, which was called Kapis in Si- exotic treasures came from Afghani- culture stays alive” is engraved at the Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the West- stan nearly 2,000 years ago. It is even gate of the National Museum of Af- ern World. After 125 AD, the Yuezhi harder to imagine that the people of ghanistan. Culture lets us feel the pulse nomads conquered the place and es- that country, which once had such a of our ancestors. Culture is a nation’s tablished the Kushan Empire, which splendid culture, should have suffered blood as well as spiritual power for de- became one of the four great powers, so much. Many cultural relics, includ- velopment and continuity. together with the Eastern Han Dynasty, ing the famous Bamiyan Buddha stat- President Xi Jinping, in his key- Roman Empire and Parthian Empire. ues, have been destroyed in the years note speech at the Conference for The history of Afghanistan turned a of war. Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, said: new page. At the exit of the exhibition hall “People are the best carriers of exchang- The Kushan Empire was located are many big boxes, each of which was es and mutual learning among civili- in a special geographical position, with covered with customs clearance tags. Dr zations. Deepening people-to-people China to the east, India in the south, Jiang told us that the boxes have carried exchanges and mutual learning is an grassland in the north and Persia in treasures to more than 20 museums in important way to eliminate estrange- the west. It was not far from the east- France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Unit- ment and misunderstanding, as well as ern border of the Roman Empire, thus ed States, Canada, , Britain, to strengthen mutual understanding and providing convenience to communi- Australia, and . connection between peoples.” cate with various surrounding civiliza- Modern history, especially after As a member of the Cultural Ex- tions. The Silk Road flourished during the Opium Wars, shows that many of change Department of the Chinese this period. From the 1920s, 2,000 ar- China’s cultural relics were stolen or People’s Association for Friendship chaeological discoveries of pieces of destroyed by Western invaders. The with Foreign Countries, I deeply feel precious cultural relics were reported. ruins of the Old Summer Palace and the the important power of people-to-peo- They once again proved Afghanistan’s headless Buddha at the Mogao Grottoes ple and cultural exchanges. I sincerely unique historical significance as a hub all speak of the days of suffering. We ful- hope that different countries, nations of Eastern and Western civilizations. ly understand the mood of preservation- and cultures can maintain extensive in- Among those unearthed relics are ists in Afghanistan. Therefore, China’s depth communication, engage in mu- bronze statues and plaster relief works major museums in Beijing, Dunhuang, tual learning, overcome conflicts and of Greek and Roman style, Indian ivory Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen, Chang- break barriers, thus fostering a human carvings, Syrian glass, silver and stone sha and other places began a relay race, civilization to pass on from generation ware from Egypt and even nine pieces sparing no effort to hold exhibitions for to generation, and to make colorful of lacquerware from China’s Han dy- these treasures and give them shelter in cultures flourish in the garden of world nasties. the safe land of China. civilizations.

19 View

Xi Jinping in my eyes and those of my Peruvian friends

Meng Kexin

his year marks the 70th lateral cooperation in various fields shook hands with him. I was deeply T anniversary of the founding of to a higher level. President Xi’s name impressed by his unpretentious lan- the People’s Republic of China. The also became familiar to the Peruvian guage, cordial greetings and amiable great changes that have taken place in people. manners. China and its growing influence on the During Xi’s visit, I was lucky to The Belt and Road Initiative put international stage have deeply touched be present in the Peruvian Congress forward by Xi aims to set up a plat- me, a Chinese who lived in Peru for listening to his speech. I attended the form for building a community with a more than two decades. meeting between Xi and representa- shared future for mankind. More than In 2016, on the occasion of the tives of in Peru and 140 countries and regions and 80 inter- 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Peru, I was invited by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard, the Peruvian president at the time, to his home for an interview. During the interview, Kuczynski expressed his great admira- tion for Chinese President Xi Jinping. He showed me a hardback copy of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, saying that he kept another copy in his office. In 2016, shortly after he was elected president, Kuczynski an- nounced that he would make China the destination of his first overseas visit. The trip was made successfully in Sep- tember that year. Two months later, Xi paid a state visit to Peru while attend- ing the APEC Summit in Peru. It was unprecedented in the history of China- Peru relations for a Chinese head of state to pay a reciprocal visit within just two months. The visit pushed bi- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski

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national organizations have expressed ruption and poverty alleviation since Xi Initiative, noting that China had begun support and participated. The associ- took office and were impressed by his to implement the policy of “growing by ated Asian Infrastructure Investment governance experiences during his po- buying from the world”, which is very Bank has been expanded five times, litical career from the grassroots level positive for the whole world. with its official membership rising to to the central government. They wanted Also, the first Shanghai Import 93 by the end of 2018 and covering all to learn to from his experience because Expo was a great success, he said: “Peru continents. In Peru, both the politicians Peru faces such social problems as has made an unexpected achievement and public have expressed hope to par- corruption and unbalanced develop- as one of the few Latin American coun- ticipate in the opportunities brought by ment. As more Peruvians have learned tries invited to the Expo.” As the sec- the BRI, to enhance the overall national about Xi through the media and books, ond Import Expo approaches, Peru has strength of Peru. Chinese leaders’ images are becoming coordinated with the Chinese embassy I most admire the four new con- more and more concrete in the eyes of in Peru to expand its exhibition stands, cepts put forward by Xi about China’s the Peruvian people. hoping to introduce more Peruvian foreign policy: a new type of major In recent years, major political power relationship, big-country diplo- events and economic developments products to the Chinese market. macy with Chinese characteristics, a have become the focus of Peruvian me- Alfonso Velasque, president of the community with a shared future for dia reports about China. In particular, Peru Exporters Association, said that mankind and a new type of internation- the Chinese New Year and zodiac cul- China, led by President Xi, is making a al relations. ture are hot topics continually reported decisive contribution to shaping a new In recent years, China has hosted by major media outlets. global economic order based on global a series of major international sum- China’s investment in Peru and trade, investment and development. mits, which have attracted many world bilateral trade volume have been grow- Felix Paz, former editor-in-chief leaders to China, and President Xi has ing steadily, becoming an important of the El Peruano newspaper, said Xi made frequent visits to other countries. contributor to Peru’s economic devel- has been an important world leader. Such “inviting in” and “going out” un- opment. My Peruvian friends who have The Belt and Road Initiative is of great derlines Xi’s thought on big-country been to China in recent years are full of significance to Latin America, Paz said, diplomacy with Chinese characteristics praise for China’s high-speed railways, “because it overcomes the previous for the new era. urban transportation and public secu- mercantilist points of view on rela- It is my great honor to be in rity. tions between the economy and politics charge of the printing and distribution Those who have not been to Chi- and seeks to establish relations of mu- of the Spanish edition of Xi Jinping: na also pay close attention to it through tual benefit and common development The Governance of China, which can the media. Reynaldo Trinidad, founder among nations”. be bought through subscriptions, book- of the Peruvian magazine Agronoticias, Xi and China are also facing the stores, book fairs and online channels. told me that he was keen to bring Chi- I was pleased to find that about 1,000 na’s experience in poverty alleviation challenge of trade protectionism, he copies had been sold directly through and advanced agricultural technology noted. Those protectionists, he said, my hands. I interviewed many Peru- to Peru. tried to return to the business relation- vians who bought the book, including Luis Alberto Torres, president of ships of the early 20th century and university professors, college students PROMPERU (the commission for pro- have forgotten all the global efforts and ordinary readers. They all appreci- moting exports and tourism), said he to achieve open and fair business ex- ated China’s achievements in anti-cor- fully agreed with Xi’s Belt and Road changes.

21 View

Our “Belt and Road”

Wang Qi

“It seems like we are going for the openness and inclusiveness of openness, green development and team building!” I joked from the back Eastern and Western civilizations, innovation and a road that brings of the car. Hearing this, colleagues in seeking common ground while together different civilizations. the front looked back at me and smiled, putting aside differences. Together, Some 1,023 Chinese cities have with faces overtaken by fatigue. By our ancestors jointly created a great established sister-city relationships then, we had been trapped in the traffic symphony of mutual enlightenment and with counterparts in 61 countries along snarl for almost two hours on our way mutual economic benefit. BRI routes, accounting for more than to the China National Convention Cen- Today, as part of the strong trend 40 percent of all the Chinese cities ter. of world peace and development, China that have established connections with Car horns blared one after another is pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative foreign counterparts. Among them, during the evening peak, while rain- in the hope of inheriting the Silk many are key BRI waypoints. drops beat the window panes, as if to Road spirit, encouraging countries to Ideas and suggestions echo the interlaced phone calls and dis- strengthen their policies, infrastructure, cussions inside the vehicle. The Coaster trade, financial connectivity and Given the growing importance of was turned into a small office in which people-to-people links, to realize local cooperation in BRI construction, everyone was making last-minute con- common development. this year’s forum includes subnational firmations and preparations. The next Since the launch of the BRI in cooperation as one of its themed day, China’s biggest diplomatic event 2013, local cooperation has played branch forums for the first time, an idea of the year, the Second Belt and Road an indispensable supporting role as warmly welcomed by both domestic Forum for International Cooperation an important part in the all-around and foreign guests. It was also the would kick off. mutually beneficial cooperation first time for the Chinese People’s by participating countries and Association for Friendship with Subnational cooperation regions. Over the past five years, Foreign Countries to host a themed In the past, with the ringing of local governments have carried forum during the summit. camel bells and splashing of waves, out multilevel and wide-ranging On the afternoon of April 25, our ancestors traveled along ancient pragmatic cooperation, and there have More than 300 delegates from the Chi- silk roads, on land and sea, passing appeared numerous vivid examples of nese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, the settlements of people of different cooperation, such as the China Railway along with more than 40 countries, at- countries and colors. They exchanged Express. tended the themed forum. Participants knowledge and culture, promoted All of these have contributed to included state governors, mayors or goodwill and friendship and witnessed building a road of peace, prosperity, their representatives, representatives of

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numerous international organizations, One of the participants who called for help from the international entrepreneurs, experts and scholars. impressed me most was Navin community, thanked China for its sup- Under the theme “Deepening subna- Dissanayake, minister of plantation port and expressed his appreciation for tional cooperation and sharing develop- industries for Sri Lanka. Just a few the Belt and Road Initiative. ment benefits”, participants shared their days before the opening of the forum, Dissanayake said the BRI con- experiences and achievements in BRI Sri Lanka had suffered a series of nects different cultures, countries and local exchanges and discussed future suicide bomb attacks, with heavy peoples, and it was a sign of the coun- cooperation prospects and opportuni- casualties. After learning the news, we try’s firm friendship with China and ties. They not only learned about the immediately contacted the Sri Lankan high recognition of the BRI that they high-quality resources around the world guests who planned to take part in the came to the forum. At the end of the and heard stories of long-standing forum and expressed deep condolences themed forum, the Sri Lankan minister friendship cities but also studied vari- for the victims. also signed a memorandum of under- ous innovative cooperation examples It was highly touching that Dis- standing with China’s province. and exchanged ideas on such issues as sanayake managed to attend the forum He expressed hope that through the fo- connecting BRI projects with those of at such a difficult time. In his speech, rum, the partnership and local coopera- the Eurasian Economic Union and en- the minister said emotionally that the tion between China and Sri Lanka will couraging cooperation in environmen- Sri Lankan people are strong and will take a new step. tal protection. not be intimidated by terrorism. He The Hong Kong Session was an-

The themed forum on subnational cooperation was held during the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

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other highlight. Led by To ensure the orderly progres- part in the Belt and Road Forum for Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the sion of the forums, every department International Cooperation. In addi- Hong Kong Special Administrative Re- involved coordinated carefully. Every tion to their professionalism and effi- gion, representatives from Hong Kong link of the procedure had a responsible ciency, the strong political awareness in the fields of finance, law, trade, risk operator who attended to every detail and sense of teamwork also impressed management, culture and public ser- with meticulous care. me. In the preparation process for the vices shared their opinions on the role For example, the basic job of re- themed forums, unexpected changes Hong Kong can play in the BRI. Hong arranging the meeting room between happened frequently, calling for emer- Kong and Macao have unique geo- sessions required the assistance of gency measures. Every time a short no- graphical locations and resources, and people from three or four departments. tice arrived, we immediately contacted strongly support the Guangdong- Moving tables and chairs, refreshing our colleagues in different places who Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay tea cups and setting up table signs, to were responsible for inviting foreign Area. Increasing the participation of name a few tasks, all needed several guests and informed them of the lat- Hong Kong and Macao in BRI subna- groups of people to go through multiple est change. All parties concerned were tional cooperation will enable domes- rehearsals beforehand to make sure the cooperative and made timely adjust- tic and foreign enterprises to use the rearrangement was done with precise ments. professional services and international timing and smooth cooperation. As the forum date approached, experience of Hong Kong and Macao This was my first time taking everybody extended their work hours, while helping the two areas further in- tegrate into national development un- der the framework of the BRI, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the mainland and share the fruits of de- velopment.

Our Belt and Road The friendship and passion brought by the BRI were not only re- flected in the delegates’ heated discus- sions but could be found in every detail of meeting preparations. As a crucial component the of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Coopera- tion, the 12 themed forums were held simultaneously, gathering thousands of Chinese and foreign guests for discus- sion. The 12 high-level forums covered various aspects of BRI cooperation and were attended by large numbers of par- Working staff of the CPAFFC and CIFCA ticipants from diverse backgrounds.

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and you could always find colleagues staying even after quitting time. China’s Miracles Once, I received a call from a colleague of the National Develop- ment and Reform Commission dur- Jinith de Silva ing a weekend. Before hanging up the phone, she said, “Sorry to have both- ered you on the weekend.” Holding the phone, I smiled and replied, “Not at all, it’s an ordinary extra hour, just n Oct 1, 2019, China will steps to improve the agriculture of the like yours.” Then we both laughed, as O celebrate the 70th anniversary country. A cooperative system was in- of the founding of the People’s troduced to manage the country’s ag- if having an aerial handshake over the Republic of China. On that day in 1949 ricultural lands. Government factories distance. Chairman Mao Zedong declared at were opened nationwide. Recognition Many times when an emergency Tian’anmen Square that the “Chinese of China in 1971 by the United Nations arose during the meetings, even staff People have stood up”. He created was a victory. Sri Lanka’s prime minis- members whom I had never met before a state of people with the help of ter at the time, Sirimavo Banaranayke, would bring help and encouragement. peasants by chasing away capitalists, performed a key role in achieving for The day the meeting of the themed fo- imperialists, foreign invaders and their China its due place in UN. rum I served was ending, I took some agents. The intention of Mao and his When Mao died in 1976, lead- materials to the venue in a hurry. As I fellow Communist Party leaders was ership of the country passed to Deng to improve the living conditions of the Xiaping, and in 1978, Deng made a passed through the corridor, which was common people. Land owned by rich dramatic change in national direction. lined with photo displays, a young vol- capitalists was taken over by the State He initiated reforms that paved the way unteer stood upright even though the and distributed to the peasants. for an open economy. First, he created tea break was well over with scarcely Western powers were hesitant to new investment zones in the southeast- any conference attendees remaining. accept the people’s state. But in South ern part of the country. Free trade zones For a moment, a trace of sentiment Asia, Sri Lanka was the first country to were created in areas such as Shenzhen, welled up in my heart. I was touched recognize it. Soon after that, in 1952, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Subsequent- by his strong sense of responsibility. I Sri Lanka entered into the Rice-Rubber ly, foreign investments started to flow thought, in this extensive BRI circle of Pact with China, even though many to China, and all the famous companies friends involving many countries, peo- countries wished to impose embargoes had the opportunity to send their goods and isolate the new country. to the biggest population in the world. ple come here as contributors to work Since the revolution of 1949 The Chinese market opened to hand in hand for a better tomorrow for Mao, Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping companies such as Coca-Cola, Apple mankind under this open, inclusive and could be rated as the outstanding lead- and Panasonic and to automobile com- globally oriented cooperation initiative. ers of China. All of them took bold panies such as Toyota, Volkswagen and This is my Belt and Road. It is our steps to improve the living standards of BMW. This created new employment Belt and Road. the common people. Mao took many opportunities for the people. A new

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industrial economy was started to aug- BRI. The Asian Infrastructure Invest- about two-thirds of the world’s total. ment agriculture. The workforce in the ment Bank opened with the assistance I also had the opportunity to meet western parts of the country migrated of China and has become a driver of young people during my visits to dif- east to take advantage of this rapid de- development in Asian countries. ferent areas of China. I noticed exuber- velopment. China resumed the exercise As a result of this economic de- ance and cheerfulness in abundance. of its sovereignty over Hong Kong and velopment, China’s per-capita income Though China has undergone radical Macao in 1997 and 1999, respectively. of $155 in 1978 has risen to $9,000 In 1978, a revolutionary change today. The country has become the changes one thing remains unchanged took place in China in the field of agri- second-largest economic power in the — its inclination toward hospitality. culture. Eighteen farmers in Xiaogang, world. It owns the biggest share of for- China made history as the first to a village in province secretly eign reserves in the world. In recent land a spacecraft, Chang’e 4, on the far agreed to divide community-owned years China has contributed more than side of moon on Jan 3, 2019. That is farmland into individual plots. The ar- 30 percent of world economic growth. the country’s greatest achievement in rangement was accepted by the cen- During the last 40 years, 800 million science and technology. tral government, and it dramatically people have risen from poverty. Under President Xi declared his two changed the existing land distribution plans laid down by Xi, China will elim- centenary goals recently. He wants to system of the country. In 2006 all taxes inate dire poverty by 2020. China has were removed from agriculture. set a successful example for poverty re- achieve a moderately well-off society China’s joining the World Trade duction in the world. I think this is the by 2020, a year before the 100th an- Organization in 2001 was a major land- best of China’s countless achievements. niversary of the founding of the Com- mark, paving the way for Chinese prod- I have traversed 20 provinces in munist Party of China, and build a ucts to enter European markets. Today, China and have been able to see the prosperous modern socialist country in every marketplace around the world, economic, social and cultural trans- by 2050, one year after the centennial products with the “made in China” la- formation with my own eyes. The big- anniversary of the founding of the Peo- bel can be found. gest thing that attracted me was the ple’s Republic of China. China opened its economy even country’s high-speed trains. The trains, People have begun to value his more, with the advent of Xi Jinping as which continue to expand across China, president. Laws were relaxed to encour- can reach speeds of 350 kilometers per new concept of building a community age foreign investment. In addition, hour, reducing travel time between cit- with a shared future for mankind. His laws were streamlined so that foreign ies by at least 50 percent. For example, vision is that all world resources should investors would be willing to come to it takes 12 hours for a normal train to be equally shared among all of human- China. Xi’s major economic policy was go from Beijing to Shanghai. High- ity. a new Silk Road — the Belt and Road speed trains have brought that down We congratulate the people of Initiative — a concept that has become to five hours. In 2016 it took only one China on their 70th National Day. They popular around the world. Not only hour for me to travel from Lanzhou to are part of a proud nation, and we are China but all countries have benefited Xining by fast train. from this project. Scotch whisky from Although fast trains were a late- proud to have it as our good friend. the United Kingdom arrived in Chinese comer, China now has the world’s markets through modern railways built largest high-speed rail network — (The author is vice-president of through European countries under the 29, 000 km — as of the end of 2018, the Sri Lanka China Society)

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Veteran diplomat shares stories with Chinese and Japanese youths Shen Haiting

n the 40th anniversary of the fate, the era or his social background. sent to to replace him during the O signing of the China-Japan Treaty At 88 years old, he is hale, humorous, in China, Liu spent of Peace and Friendship, we were lucky outspoken and approachable. He meets 15 years in Japan. He didn’t return to to have persuaded a veteran diplomat regularly with visiting Japanese friends work in China until June 1978, when to share with Chinese and Japanese and gives lectures at universities. As a the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and youths his experiences in developing poem goes, “Crossing these lush hills Friendship was to be signed. Just two the friendship, including some behind- adds nothing to one’s years.” Though days after he returned, Liu was grieved the-scenes stories. elderly, he has never slackened his ef- to learn of the death of , the forts to help maintain friendship be- honorary president of the China-Japan It might be fate, the era tween China and Japan. Friendship Association whom he deep- or the social background ly respected. “Go to the Liu Deyou is a retired diplomat to be a journalist” Oppose those who who has been active in promoting ex- stand for hegemony changes between China and Japan since In April 1964, Liao Chengzhi, the 1950s. He has been a Japanese in- president of the China-Japan Friendship Under the Sino-Japanese Joint terpreter Chinese leaders, including Association, and Japanese businessman Statement, the phrase “oppose hege- Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier and politician Tatsunosuke Takasaki monism” would be included in the Chi- Zhou Enlai, and the People’s Republic signed an agreement in Beijing. The na-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friend- of China’s first resident journalist in two sides established trade offices in ship. However, when the Japan for many years before serving as Beijing and Tokyo and exchanged resi- cabinet was formed, the Japanese side vice-minister of culture, a member of dent journalists. This marked the tran- took an abrupt turn and decided against the National Committee of the Chinese sition of Sino-Japanese relations from including the words. Liu said China People’s Political Consultative Confer- people-to-people exchanges to contacts had been oppressed under the hoof of ence and a member of the 21st Century involving both governmental and non- world powers for over a century, so it Committee for China-Japan Friendship. governmental people. At the time, Liu was unwilling to make any concession He has published many books, includ- was an editor at People’s China, a peri- on the issue. China insisted that oppo- ing My 15 Years in Japan, and translat- odical published by the China Foreign sition to hegemonism must be written ed many Japanese works, such as Yam Languages Publishing Administration. into the treaty, and any attempt to ex- Gruel by Akutagawa Ryunosuke. One day, Liao told him, “Go to Guang- clude it was unacceptable. Liu has been called “a living fossil ming Daily to be a journalist.” So Liu In fact, the Takeo Miki cabinet of China-Japan friendship”. Recalling was transferred to the newspaper and was impeded by two political forces. the past, Liu said that all his daily work then sent to Tokyo as a resident cor- One was the Japanese right-wingers, related to Japan — a fact he ascribes to respondent. Because no journalist was such as the Seiran faction. The other

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was the Soviet Union, which felt it was Sonoda’s trip to Beijing and threatened that he remembered me.” being targeted by the language, as it to kill him. Sonoda did not shrink, say- Principles of the treaty was contending with the United States ing he was not afraid of losing his life. are of great significance for global hegemony. The disagreement He just sprinkled water on himself to rendered the negotiations a standoff. pray for safety. After the plane took Impeded and interrupted by the When the Deng Xiaoping, vice-premier off, he told the pilot to fly a circle over Japanese right-wing forces and the So- at the time, met with the Japanese del- his home — the Amakusa Islands in viet Union, the Sino-Japanese relation- egation headed by Foreign Minister Kumamoto prefecture. He vowed to ship experienced many twists and turns Sunao Sonoda, Deng said the core of himself that he would commit seppuku after the normalization of bilateral rela- the treaty was anti-hegemony and did (suicide) instead of returning to Japan tions. It took six years for the two sides not target any third party except those if the mission failed. to finally sign the China-Japan Treaty who stood for hegemonism and war. In July 1954, Liu worked as an of Peace and Friendship. The treaty If China sought hegemony, Deng said, interpreter when the Japanese nonpar- affirmed in legal form the principles the world should oppose it, too. “The tisan parliamentary delegation, which specified in the Sino-Japanese Joint Soviet Union’s opposition to the article included Sonoda, visited Beijing. The Statement, setting the basic tone of revealed its ambition,” he said. delegation had just finished attending peaceful coexistence and long-lasting Later on, when he visited Japan, the World Peace Conference in Stock- friendship. Liu said that although some Deng again stressed the need to oppose holm and had come to China via the people continue to hype the “China hegemonism. “According to the China- Soviet Union. Delegates included such threat” myth, China is not and will nev- Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, promising young leaders as Yasuhiro er constitute a threat to the world. The China and Japan should exercise self- Nakasone, who would later become socialist system makes it impossible restraint and impose the responsibility on Japanese prime minister, and Yoshio for China to threaten or bully any other themselves not to seek hegemony, while Sakurauchi, who became foreign min- country, and the Chinese people will fighting any other country’s or bloc’s at- ister and speaker of the lower house of not tolerate such threats or aggression. tempt to build up hegemony,” he said. the Japanese legislature, or Diet. Liu Despite its rapid development in This demonstrated China’s position and and his colleagues called them “the up- recent decades, China is underdevel- the wisdom of Deng as an outstanding and-coming” in Japanese politics. Liu oped in many areas and still has a long statesman. heard that Sonoda, when young, had been way to go. Peaceful development is forced to join Japanese special attack China’s strategic choice, one that has Sonoda vows to commit seppuku units at the end of World War II. How- come into being through its years of without returning to Japan should ever, Japan surrendered unconditionally efforts in building socialism. For all negotiation fail before he took off to crash his plane into the changes in the international situ- On Aug 8, 1978, Sonoda visited an American aircraft or vessel. ation, China has no alternative but to China to sign the China-Japan Treaty of “It was the first time for me to be continue on the peaceful development Peace and Friendship. On Aug 12, Chi- an interpreter,” Liu said. “I still remem- path and will never wage a war, as de- nese Foreign Minister and ber the brief welcoming ceremony at termined by the nature of its socialist the Japanese foreign minister signed Beijing Xijiao Airport. Though I was to- system. The China threat theory has the treaty. tally unprepared, I was designated as the existed for a long time. It emerged as Liu recalled that Sonoda had a interpreter. My legs were trembling. I early as the 1970s, when Kenzo Mat- strong sense of responsibility for ful- was bathed in perspiration. Later, I inter- sumura came to Beijing to consult with filling his mission. It was said that the viewed Sonoda at the parliament house China on trade. Liu translated for Pre- Japanese Liberal Democratic Party when I was a resident journalist in To- mier Zhou Enlai during the meeting. right-wingers had vehemently opposed kyo. It was a delightful surprise to find Zhou said patiently to the Japanese

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delegation, “Even if China becomes stronger, it will not be a threat. China has been plagued by imperialist op- A Journal of Canaan pression in history. How can it impose this suffering on others?” Li Zhe He also cited a saying by Confu- cius: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.” u Sishe, vice-president of the On the morning of June 10, we Although it was signed 40 years H Chinese People’s Association for visited a pioneering company in Tel ago, the principles set forth in the Chi- Friendship with Foreign Countries, Aviv known for its innovation. After na-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friend- led a delegation to Israel for a visit graduation from Hebrew University of ship continue to be of great signifi- from June 8 to 13. I was lucky to Jerusalem, Naftali Spitzer, the compa- cance. It is important for China and be a member of the delegation and ny’s CEO, had been engaged in adver- Japan to observe the treaty correctly. was brimming with expectation and tising design and marketing for many Frictions and contradictions are inevi- excitement, as it was my first trip to years before founding the brand design table in bilateral relations, but the prin- the country. Departing from Beijing company named after himself. Holon, ciples of peace and friendship as stated Capital International Airport in the Israel’s seventh-largest city, is Spitzer’s in the treaty must be upheld. They are early morning of June 9, we traveled pride. With his branding, this once ob- the general orientation the two coun- for 10-plus hours, arriving at Tel Aviv’s scure small city has become Israel’s tries should adopt. Ben Gurion Airport before sunset. famous “city of children”. As the city’s reputation grows, residents’ life satis- Carry forward the tradition of Innovation and tradition faction and the city’s competitiveness people-to-people friendship Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were have increased as well. After more than 20 years of dip- our first two stops in Israel. An Israeli Vice-President Hu thinks highly lomatic endeavors by both countries’ friend commented that “people in Tel of Spitzer’s work and invited him to governments and people, the Sino- Aviv see Jerusalem as too conservative, attend next year’s China International Japanese relationship was normalized while Jews in Jerusalem despised Tel Friendship Cities Conference. Spitzer in 1972. It was the result of painstaking Aviv for having abandoned Jewish tra- delightedly accepted the invitation and efforts by various people from both coun- dition”. expressed his expectation of seeing his tries, including Chairman Mao, Premier Built less than 100 years ago, Tel ideas and creativity bear fruit in China Zhou, Kenzo Matsumura, Tatsunosuke Aviv is located on the eastern shore in the future. Takasaki and Kaheita Okazaki. of the Mediterranean Sea. Its English Someone once said that “God People-to-people friendship, as name, Tel Aviv, is actually composed gave 90 percent of the world’s beauty one of the characteristics of Sino-Japa- of two words: “tel”, referring to the to Jerusalem”. If this is true, 90 percent nese relations, played an irreplaceable mounds of accumulated remains, and of Jerusalem’s beauty lies in its history role. Common people have been a vital “aviv”, meaning spring. Thus, Tel Aviv and tradition. The Old City of Jerusa- part of peaceful and friendly relations literally means the hills of spring, al- lem is surrounded by tall walls, inside between the two countries. In the new luding to a piece of new land originat- of which stand assorted busy shops. era, China and Japan should continue ing from ancient Jewish civilization. It With an area of only 1 square kilome- to carry forward the tradition of people- is an appropriate name for such a mod- ter, the Old City represents the nonne- to-people friendship, expand economic ern city, Israel’s second-largest. It is gotiable beliefs of three major religions and trade cooperation and promote cul- the undisputed science and technology — Judaism, Christianity and Islam. tural and youth exchanges. center of the country. The Wailing Wall (Western Wall) in

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West Jerusalem is a holy place in the for Jews. With the Judean Desert at its istics known as kibbutzim. Kibbutz is a hearts of Jews and a must-see for visi- back, Masada faces the Dead Sea. The transliteration from Hebrew, originally tors. There are strict rituals for praying steep mountain is easy to defend and meaning “collective” and “aggrega- at the wall, or even visiting. Men and hard to capture. It has always been re- tion.” Kibbutzim initially resulted from women must enter Wailing Wall Plaza garded as a natural barrier. There are the Jews’ return in the early 20th cen- through different security gates. The ruins of an ancient castle on the moun- tury and later developed into a unique wall is divided into two parts, with men taintop, built in the age of King Herod socioeconomic organizational structure praying along the northern section and of the Kingdom of Judah. It was occu- in Israel, similar to the once popular women in the south. Before approach- pied by the Romans in AD 6. A few de- people’s communes in China. For more ing the wall, we were required to wash cades later, the Jews regained Masada than a century, relying on the organiza- our hands and don hats, customs origi- as their base camp against Rome. But tional form of public ownership and the nating in the Jewish belief that the sky before long, Masada was surrounded power of collectivism, kibbutzim have above the Wailing Wall is where God is by the Roman army, and the Jewish sol- promoted agricultural and industrial and that it’s a blasphemy to point one’s diers who defended the city struggled production, making indelible contribu- bare head to God. Since I did not pre- to resist for several months but finally tions to the national rejuvenation of the pare a hat in advance, I took a simple were overcome. At the last moment, Jews and the funding of Israel’s con- round one at the entrance and put it on. Commander Ben Yar drew lots to select struction. It was to be returned after the rite. 10 warriors from among the 960 people On June 13, we went to the Ein The scene at the Wailing Wall is and ordered them to kill other compa- Gedi kibbutz by car, the last stop of our solemn and majestic. What attracts peo- triots and then kill themselves. Among trip in Israel. We were received by Ms ple most are the orthodox Jewish rab- them, two women and five children Ron, head of the international relations bis, with their long earlocks and black survived by hiding in the reservoir at department of Tamar city and also an gowns and hats. They either press their the top of the mountain. They later told old friend of Deputy Director Jia Ling foreheads and hands against the wall, the story of the defenders, and Masada in our delegation. There was not much praying in whispers, or sit facing the became a symbol of the Jewish spirit. time for us to chat before Ron took us wall, holding their Bibles and chanting It is said that the Israel Defense to the community’s big dining hall. sacred scriptures. Their piety is beyond Forces hold a solemn ceremony every With its simple but practical arrange- words. year at Masada to memorialize the an- ment, the dining hall can accommodate For visitors who come here, it is cient heroes. The first lesson for new hundreds of people at a time. The dish- popular to write a wish on a slip of pa- recruits is to come to Masada, where es were rich, with ingredients produced per and stuff it into one of the crevices they must climb the mountain from from the community farm. between the stones. It is said that God foot to top along the daunting rocky After each person was served, can hear your voice this way. serpentine path at the fastest speed pos- Ron took us to sit around a single table. In modern times, Jerusalem has sible and then swear to the National She told us about the past and present become special and sensitive because Flag: “Masada shall not fall again!” of Ein Gedi kibbutz. In the 1950s, a of political issues and territorial dis- group of Jewish youths gathered here Today’s “People’s commune” putes. But apart from these disputes, with enthusiasm. They grew grain and it is undoubtedly a cultural treasure of In Israel, a magical country en- vegetables and got water by digging mankind. dowed with honey and milk, there are channels. The farm used a socialist sys- not only unique natural landscapes tem under which everyone was equal Masada shall not fall again and cultural scenery but also collective and the means of production were Masada is the other holy place communities with distinctive character- owned by the public. Articles for daily

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use were allocated in a unified arrange- ment. Children were raised by com- When “the most Chinese” munity schools. People shared wealth and labor. And they discussed matters together and made decisions by vot- meets “the most Italian” ing. As a result, they were able to build a homeland in the desert by the Dead Sea. Over time, the kibbutz has under- 20 years friendship gone some changes, while retaining its inherent attributes. For instance, the between Yangzhou, Rimini distribution of the means of livelihood has basically changed from equal dis- Yang Le tribution to distribution according to la- bor contribution. People now get freely disposable pay according to their work performance. his year marks the 15th His book vividly describes every aspect Meanwhile, the kibbutz is facing a T anniversary of the establishment the city in the 13th century. That’s why membership drain. As more young peo- of the China-Italy comprehensive Marco Polo is widely recognized as the ple prefer living in cities, sustainability strategic partnership, and next year will forerunner of friendly exchanges be- of the kibbutz is facing challenges. Ron commemorate the 50th anniversary of tween Yangzhou and Italy. A memorial joked that “as long as the botanical gar- the establishment of diplomatic ties hall was erected in Yangzhou to honor den that brings together exotic flowers between the two countries. President the great envoy from Italy. from all over the world exists, Ein Gedi Xi Jinping’s goodwill visit to Italy On Oct 29, 1987, Jacob Panoso, will not decline”. last March has ushered in a new era of director of tourism for the Veneto The three-day trip to Israel came Sino-Italian relations. region(Venice is the capital and home- to the end, and it was time to say good- Twenty years have passed since town of Marco Polo) presented a rep- bye. At the airport, I said to our Israeli Yangzhou, province, signed a lica bronze lion in the city plaza) to the friends who came to see us off: “Be- sister-city agreement with the Rimini city of Yangzhou. By then, Yangzhou fore coming to Israel, some domestic region of Emilia-Romagna. had formed sister-city relations with six friends were worried about our secu- foreign cities in Asia, the Americas and Sister-city ties: Marco Polo rity, as they heard that there were wars Europe. So it took the chance to ex- was the initiator here.” They responded with laughter: press interest in forging friendly links “It seems that these Chinese friends Seven-hundred years ago when with an Italian city. However, because have an old understanding of Israel Italian traveler Marco Polo came to Venice had already established a sister- from the last century.” China, he was ordered by the emperor of city relationship with Suzhou in 1980, We finally bid farewell to each the (1279-1368) to govern it was impossible for Yangzhou to other with smiles and handshakes. In the city of Yangzhou for three years, as forge a similar relationship. Therefore, fact, to know any country, not just Is- recorded in his writings. If he followed Yu Zhenxin, then-mayor of Yangzhou, rael, one can never solely rely on old through, he could be called a foreign asked friends from Veneto to introduce books and hearsay! administrator in Yangzhou’s history. another Italian city.

31 Cultural Exchanges

Thanks to the efforts of many suggested that both sides make better Exploring codes of building friends, Rimini, a city known for its use of the established mutual under- world-famous cities tourism culture was identified. Rimini standing to promote governmental and In February 2013, Xie Zhengyi, also expressed strong interest in Yang- civil exchanges to lift the sister-city re- Party secretary of Yangzhou led a del- zhou, a famous historical city of China. lationship to a new height. Both parties egation to Rimini and paid a courtesy Contacts began in November 1996 and discussed and reached consensus on an call on the mayor, Andrea Gnassi. Xie bore fruit three years later. On March exchange plan. noted that Rimini is renowned across 16, 1999, at the invitation of the then Artists from Yangzhou made a Europe and the world and said that his Rimini Mayor Gigi, a Yangzhou good- five-day display of traditional folk arts mission was to learn about the secret of will delegation went to Italy for a visit, and presented shows during Pink Night, building a globally renowned city. during which the sister-city agree- including paper-cutting, cross-stitch Gnassi replied: “People are some- ment was signed. The ceremony was embroidery and puppet performances, times worried that their secrets are witnessed by Li Guoqing, the cultural which were warmly received by tens consul from the Chinese embassy; Gao of thousands of residents and tourists. leaked for fear of being put into a dis- Cunming, Chinese consul general in The puppet show was the most popular. advantage against their rivals. How- Milan; and dozens of local people from Hula-Hula, Fan Dance, Qiong Flower ever, we don’t feel the threat because the government, business and media. Dance, Changing Faces and the Pup- we are bonded with each other over pet Painting Show won applause from a dozen years. We are very happy to Pink Night festival the audience, which was amazed to see share what, how and why.” commemorates10th anniversary puppets dancing, writing, painting and The delegation investigated the The signing of the sister-city rela- performing stunts, all manipulated by city museum and relics protection sites tionship gave a boost to the two cities in the dexterous hands of the puppeteers. and learned how Rimini protects and all-around exchanges in economy and Calling it a “feast for the eyes”, they restores its ancient city and how it han- trade, finance, science and education, thanked the artists from Yangzhou. dles tourism development. culture and sports. On July 3,2009, at the invitation of the mayor, Ravaioli, Wang Kanghua, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Yangzhou People’s Congress led a goodwill and artists delegation to Rimini to attend Pink Night, a festival to celebrate the summer new year, which coincided with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Yangzhou-Rimini relationship. A grand welcoming ceremony was held at the city hall, with recollections of friendly exchanges over the past 10 years. Wang extended greetings from the people of Yangzhou and expressed a wish for strengthening economic co- operation for mutual benefits. Ravaioli

32 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

In “misty and flowery” March tween Chinese and European cities. On ducive to the economy and friendship 2013, Gnassi visited Yangzhou at the April 3, the Chinese consul general in of the two countries.” invitation of Xie. At the tourism semi- Milan, Wang Dong, visited the office. nar held during the visit, Gnassi, who She praised the Yangzhou food com- Looking into the future had many years experience in the tour- pany’s move to set up a European of- Over the years, the two cities have ism industry, noted: “Both Yangzhou fice as having “set a good example for supported each other ardently in many and Rimini pride themselves on having Chinese enterprises to internationalize international events. Rimini athletes a beautiful landscape, long history, and business” and noted that it contributed have not missed the China Yangzhou deep-rooted culture. Rimini branded to the promotion of exchanges and co- Jianzhen International Half-Marathon, itself as the ‘real flavor of Italy’ all operation between the two countries. which started in 2006. The World Ca- through its tourism campaigns. It may On May 30, the Yangzhou econ- well be an idea to position Yangzhou as omy and trade delegation visited Ri- nal Cities Expo was initiated in 2007, ‘a place to taste the real China’.” mini and cooperated with the Rimini with two international gatherings spon- During the meeting between Department of Industry & Commerce sored by Yangzhou. Rimini also joined Gnassie and Yangzhou’s mayor, Zhu to host a promotion introducing the Yangzhou and some other cities in ini- Minyang, both sides reached consensus Yangzhou Food Industry Park. More tiating World Historical and Cultural on building closer cooperation between than 100 people attended the event, in- Canal Cities Cooperation Organization the “most Chinese city” and the “most cluding Irene Pivetti, former president in 2009, which led to the establishment Italian city”. of the Council of Italy and chairwoman of the WCCO Secretariat in Yangzhou For years, Yangzhou and Rimini of the Italy-China Friendship Associa- in 2016. Likewise, when Rimini hosted have shared similar ideas in develop- tion; Jamil Sadegholvaad, vice-mayor the Pink Night festival, the Best of ing the idea of a “green tourism city” of Rimini; Pesaresi Alessandra, deputy Emilia-Romagna and other cultural and and have exchanged thoughts without chief of commerce and local business; reservation. During the 2018 Sino-Eu- and representatives from the Yangzhou tourist events, Yangzhou was always ropean Tourism Year, the World Green office. Both sides exchanged ideas on there to support her sister city and hap- Design Organization and Europe-China projects of common concern. The suc- pily presented its own culture heritage. Business News co-sponsored the Green cessful event was believed to have Twenty years have passed since Tourism City/District Award with the helped the Yangzhou Food Industry Yangzhou and Rimini forged sister-city support of dozens of Chinese and Eu- Park unfold its business across Rimini relations. On March 25, 2019, Rimini ropean countries, UNEP, UNESCO, the and Italy. Vice-Mayor Jamil Sadegholvaad led European Council and European Com- The event climaxed when Pivetti, a goodwill delegation to Yangzhou to mission. Yangzhou and Rimini were who has always been enthusiastic in discuss a plan for promotion and coop- both awarded the honorary title among promoting China-Italy business and eration in the new era, and was warmly many candidates. friendly exchanges, was appointed con- greeted by his counterpart, Liu Yutong. sultant for Italy-China food, culture Yangzhou Food Industry Park Both parties agreed that a series of cel- and economic development. In appre- sets up European office ciation, she said: “I am truly honored ebrations would be held to commemorate In March 2015, the Yangzhou with this pleasant surprise. With the the 20th anniversary, and concrete action Food Industry Park European Office Italy-China Friendship Association, I plans were drawn for urban planning, was established in Rimini, paving the will make still greater efforts to push tourism, food, horticulture, innovative way for economic cooperation be- forward exchanges, which will be con- culture, leisure and sports.

33 Cultural Exchanges

Picking floating wine cups from winding creek

A review of renowned Chinese and Japanese calligraphy and painting exhibition

Liu Wenwen

f there is common ground that ing. cultural art work bears unique signifi- I connects China and Japan in art, it This is the most fundamental dis- cance only for the people in the culture. must be their ink art. Oriental ink art, tinction between Eastern and Western Calligraphy and painting have been the Western oil painting, watercolor and arts. Therefore, the acme of Western choices of Chinese art for thousands other art forms, constitute typical art painting is a grand historical or reli- of years, which has also been the case forms of the East and the West. gious scene with fine, vivid depiction, in Japan. Ink art is a cultural bond of Ink has had a far-reaching impact. ending in an effect of photorealism. friendly exchanges between the Chi- In terms of means of expression, West- The acme of Eastern painting is to nese and the Japanese people. ern art in the past often emphasized the simplify the work to a few strokes, but During the G20 summit in 2019, observation of appearance and follows with profound artistic content, reaching the Chinese People’s Association for a scientific logic in depicting objects, the peak of expression through philo- Friendship with Foreign Countries held which is a truth-seeking process. Only sophical freehand brushwork. the Renowned Chinese & Japanese in the last century did artists try to ex- Only artists and audiences in Calligraphers and Painters Works Ex- plore the spiritual world and express countries like China and Japan can feel hibition in Kyoto, an ancient city with their inner feelings. the subtle and clever mysterious world profound culture. Exhibited were about By contrast, Chinese painting, and capture the intangible philosophi- 100 works by Su Shishu, Xu Li, Xu especially the ink school, has featured cal speculation contained in this unique Peichen, Li Xiao, Hirayama Ikuo and imagination about the unknown world way of expression. Kuiseko Hakuju. CPAFFC President and meditation on the internal world of Calligraphy and painting are the Li Xiaolin brought seven works of her artists from the very beginning. In turn, quintessence of Chinese culture and own for the exhibition as a specially it sublimated into pure spiritual paint- are deeply loved by the Japanese. A invited guest. More than 100 guests

34 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

attended the opening ceremony of the Some people say that Westerners while drinking wine. They sat along a exhibition, including Yukio Hatoyama, will not be able to understand Chinese winding creek upon which wine cups former prime minister of Japan; Shinya calligraphy and painting even after an- were placed to be floated downstream. Ono, former vice-minister of educa- other 100 years. What they refer to is As a wine cup stops, the person nearest tion, culture, sports, science and tech- the mystery and extent of ink art. In- to it picks up the cup, drinks wine and nology; Kyoto prefecture’s Governor terestingly, this is exactly the common Nishiwaki Takatoshi; Kyoto Mayor point between Chinese and Japanese then composes and chants a poem. Kadokawa Daisaku; Yamadaand Keiji, cultures. This year marks the 70th anni- Wang Xizhi wrote the world- former governor of Kyoto prefecture; versary of the founding of the People’s renowned The Orchid Pavilion in one and Hirayama Toko, curator of the Ikuo Republic of China. In the past seven of these activities, which won him the Hirayama Silk Road Museum. The ex- decades, China’s culture and art have reputation as the sage of calligraphy. hibition has become another successful developed into an extremely rich land- Yang Xiong of the Han dynasties said model of communication between Chi- scape from a series of innovations, and that “calligraphy is a depiction of a na and Japan in the field of calligraphy many outstanding talents and art mas- and painting. ters have emerged. man’s heart”. His words were the most It is often said that calligraphy Influenced by modern art and its accurate interpretation of the fact that and painting are of the same origin, own profound historical heritage, Japan calligraphy and painting have the same which doesn’t just mean that calligra- has created colorful styles. Chinese and origin. phy was born out of hieroglyphics. In Japanese cultures also differ. Yukio, This kind of metaphysical means fact, the most essential reason is that the former prime minister, remarked: of expression can only be fully un- calligraphy and painting have a highly “There are many differences between derstood by calligraphers and painters consistent spiritual origin: Both start Japanese and Chinese cultures, but I from the inner world of the artist and always remember that Japanese learned whose thoughts have common origins, achieve a balance between objects and Chinese characters (Hanzi) from Chi- such as those of China and Japan. the artist’s ego. As President Li Xiaolin na. Characters are the foundation of The present exhibition also has a said in her speech, China and Japan are all cultures and we should always be spiritual resonance, which stems from significant neighbors and 2019 is a key grateful to China. While facing the a consistent understanding of depic- year to put into practice the important differences in politics and cultures, Ja- tion of minds and from bosom friends’ consensus of the leaders of the two pan and China should recognize their countries. The foundation of friendship common ground. This is the basis for understanding and valuing each other. between China and Japan lies in the sound, long-term development of our It is a kind of Qushui Liushang in the people, cultural exchanges and people- two countries.” new era. to-people mutual understanding. Picking floating wine cups from a Communication with characters Cultural homogeneity allows winding creek (Qushui Liushang) was is also fun. With common characters, China and Japan to meet each other a ceremonial activity in ancient China communication between Chinese and halfway. We should put art into culture, that dates to the early years of the Japanese cultures is bound to become a sublimate culture to people’s aspira- Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC). tions and plant the seeds of friendship It later developed into an elegant activ- trend. As good neighbors, the two will and affection in the hearts of the Chi- ity in which the literati at social gath- work together for everlasting friend- nese and Japanese people. erings would write and chant poems ship.

35 Cultural Exchanges

ultural exchanges between China Musical Dream of Youth C and Japan have a long history. In the late 1970s, films, animated cartoons and pop music from Japan were so takes stage in the Great Hall popular in China that many Chinese young people tried to follow the trend. of the People From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, Chinese film and music, especially Liu Wenwen and Hua Jiaguang from Hong Kong and , also had a positive influence in Japan. Since the n the evening of June 17, Dream AHS refers to Chinese scientists and late 1990s, cultural exchanges between of Youth, a musical created by technicians who worked hard defying O Chinese and Japanese youths waned, the Chinese People’s Association for extremely poor conditions in the 1960s while those on the government level Friendship with Foreign Countries, and 1970s to develop China’s own were mostly focused on such traditional took to the stage in the Great Hall of atomic bombs, h-bombs and man-made areas as relics and art. Exchanges in the People in Beijing. It represented satellites. modern culture, especially pop culture another innovative move by the Madame , vice-chair favored by young people, were rare. association to stay abreast of the of the Standing Committee of the 11th Cross-border cultural exchanges times, and to recognize the aspirations National People’s Congress; CPAFFC are multidimensional, covering his- of college students, after staging the Vice-President Hu Sishe; and Secretary torical, modern, classic and popular musicals Ode to Peace and SilkRoad of General Li Xikui watched the perfor- culture. So far, our cultural exchanges Youth. mance, together with about 6,000 au- with foreign countries have been most- This year marks the 70th anni- dience members, including diplomats versary of the founding of the People’s from Italy, Cuba, Oman, Zambia and ly carried out in the historical and clas- Republic of China and the 100th an- 30 other countries. University teachers sical fields because different national niversary of the May 4 Movement. and students from Beijing also attend- cultures can easily strike accord, and The CPAFFC worked with the China ed. thus are guaranteed to yield fruit. These Friendship Art Exchange Association Foreign diplomats in China spoke exchanges have stood the test of his- and Art College to take a close highly of the performance, praising the tory. look at contemporary college students excellent artistic level of the Chinese By contrast, exchanges in modern and their commitment to the ideal of college students and their positive, op- and pop culture involve more uncer- “remaining true to our original aspira- timistic, responsible and dedicated spir- tainties and difficulties and are influ- tion and keeping our mission firmly in it. They said they were touched by the enced by various factors in society. mind” from the perspective of youth. spirit of continuing aspirations, striving Modern Japanese culture enjoys The performance, with its rich staging, with unremitting efforts and promot- an important position in the world. For told stories of Chinese people striv- ing independent innovation, as shown instance, the animation industry ac- ing to realize their dreams under the in the performance. They said that counts for 0.3 percent of Japan’s total leadership of the Communist Party of they got a more direct and profound GDP, while other industries related to China. The performance followed the understanding of the great achieve- animation have a larger proportion. story line of the Craftsmen of the Na- ments China had made and praised Since the start of reform and tion Spirit, the Saihanba Spirit, the the CPAFFC for its efforts to spread opening-up, China has witnessed rapid Spirit and the AHS Spirit. Chinese culture. growth in its animation industry, which

36 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

Cartoon exhibition promotes exchanges between Chinese, Japanese youths

Liu Wenwen and Wang Hao

was influenced by its Japanese counter- It was unprecedented in cultural their dreams during a marine voyage. part in its early development. In recent exchanges between Chinese and Japa- Hello One Piece, which has circulated years, exchanges in the animation in- nese young people. Hello One Piece is more than 440 million copies world- dustry between China and Japan have the symbol of the contemporary Japa- wide, can be regarded as the world’s declined for a variety of reasons. But nese animation culture and one of the No 1 cartoon book, with its wide ap- Japanese animation continues to en- best-known animated cartoons of the peal to readers. joy a high place in the eyes of Chinese nearly 100-year-old Shueisha. In this WeMedia era, every indi- young people. The animation culture, Shueisha, having published a lot vidual becomes a producer and reader which features optimism, passion and of popular cartoons including Slam of news. This transforms young peo- ideals, motivates many young hearts. Dunk, Dragon Ball, Naruto and Saint ple’s way of thinking and knowing the Since 2015, China Friendship Art Seiya, enjoys a special position in com- world. On one hand, they need to be Exchange Association, affiliated with ic book fans’ hearts. The Japanese ani- cultivated in traditional and classic cul- the Chinese People’s Association for mation culture comes from the picture ture; on the other, knowing what the Friendship with Foreign Countries, has books of earlier times. They provide young are interested in is important for been attempting to introduce the exhi- enlightening reading material about filling the gap in international cultural bition Hello One Piece (one of Eiichiro history and social culture. exchanges. Oda’s works) to the Chinese mainland. Like traditional serial pictures The preparation for and operation After two years of negotiations with in modern China, they are one of the of the exhibition involved immense Shinichi Hirono, managing director choices for leisure, entertainment and efforts from the Chinese People’s As- of Shueisha Inc., the China Friend- education in Japan. It is common in sociation for Friendship with Foreign ship Art Exchange Association finally Japan to see people of all ages read- Countries, China Friendship Art Ex- got permission for exhibition on the ing comic books in the streets, and change Association, Kouzan Fine-Arts Chinese mainland, with the help of the especially in the subway. Generally Company, Shueisha and the operator, Kouzan Fine-Arts Company and Ma- speaking, cartoonists have profound East Ridge Art Works Co. It reflects the sanori Aoyagi, a former officer of the art accomplishments and literary at- exchanges between the two countries in Agency of Cultural Affairs of Japan. It tainments. They write highly readable culture, youth, animation industry, brand broke the record for copyright royalties stories with a quirky twist, which have operation and copyright protection. for a single-brand animation exhibition literary and ideological nature. The plot The good news is that the exhi- in China and ushered in the year-and- and characterizations are excellent. bition has been held successfully in a-half tour of Hello One Piece on the Hello One Piece is such a story. Shenzhen and Chengdu, representing mainland. Monkey D. Luffy and his friends chase the first time an animation exhibition

37 Warm Reminiscences

has been displayed at provincial mu- seums in China. Hello One Piece is on Once upon a time in display at the third stop, the Shanghai Himalayas Museum. On the first day, a 500-meter-long line formed outside the Bussiere’s Garden museum as people waited for admis- sion. A total of 40,000 visitors came in He Yan a one-month span to enjoy the show, which had been meticulously designed and presented by Shueisha, Toei Ani- y name is Jean-Louis Bussière. I the stairs along the slope until a tree- mation, ADK and DNP. M am a cardiologist in France. With shaded three-story barbican-like granite It is often said that art is a carrier my half-Chinese blood, I have deep building came into view. The square of culture and that culture is a bridge affection for China, as well as curiosity. building faced east, with a board over joining peoples’ hearts. Although there Jean Augustin Bussière, my fa- the main entrance inscribed with the are increasingly frequent exchanges ther, was also a doctor. He had lived in words “For the People’s Health” by Li and close links between different China for 41 years before he returned Shizeng, a celebrity during the Repub- countries, the cultural differences are to France. He died when I was just 3, lic of China period. becoming deeper because of variant but he has remained in my mind as an On the other side of the building geographical environments and cultural old man with a white beard. Until 2013, the path forked, leading to two other backgrounds. Recognizing these dif- when my mother, Wu Sidan, passed groups of buildings in the garden. I fol- ferences is a precondition for cultural away, I didn’t realize that I had missed lowed the stone road to the northern exchanges. They give culture its unique something. side, where stood the main building of charm and should be cherished. The things my father left were an a two-story Chinese-style mansion. China and Japan, separated only unsolved mystery, and I longed for an- Seen from the front, the building by a narrow strip of water, use similar swers: What do the Chinese characters was four-rooms wide, with gray-tiled characters for writing and share many in the book mean? Who was standing gable roofs, a veranda and red pillars cultural threads. It is necessary to have beside Father in the photo? How did he with characteristic floral patterns in the more knowledge about each other’s meet Mother? What did he experience Suzhou style. At the front of the build- culture so that their differences can in China? It was an enchanting piece of ing was a flat piece of land embellished be understood. This is why the Sino- history but little known. by arbors, fountains, and ponds. The Japanese relationship makes progress second floor commanded a good view The call of the East through twists and turns. of the beautiful scenery in the distance. This year is the China-Japan “History comes from the meeting This was where Father lived for Youth Exchange Promotion Year. The of wills and chance.” In March 2014, more than three decades. I saw the Sino-Japanese relationship stands at a I visited my father’s former residence chestnut tree in front that he had plant- new starting point. So it is good tim- in China for the first time. It is a place ed. It had grown to dwarf the mansion. ing for the Hello One Piece exhibition, Chinese locals call Bussiere’s Garden, I felt tears welling in my eyes. Sixty which will awaken the enduring memo- and I had only seen it in pictures. years ago, Father and Mother left the ries from the 1970s to the 1990s and The garden is in Xishan, or “west- garden and never returned. enhance the friendship between the two ern hills” of Beijing, and was originally My father loved China. He had peoples. designed by Father himself. I climbed planned to spend the rest of his life in

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this country and even chose a site for of medicine at Sino-France University manager of the Sino-French Industrial his future burial. However, in 1954 he and the campus physician at Peking Bank. His brother, Wu Dingchang, was had to leave China quickly because of University. In 1932, upon the establish- Chiang Kai-shek’s chief of staff. some sudden change, while Mother ment of the medical school of Aurora Mother loved calligraphy, paint- was asked to stay. University in Shanghai, he was ap- ing, guqin music and traditional opera. Jean Augustin Bussière, my fa- pointed the first director. During the She graduated from the art school of Fu ther, was born on July 9, 1872 in following six years, he regularly trav- Jen University. With instruction from Chard, Limousin, in central France. He eled between Beijing and Shanghai. famous artists Pu Jin and Pu Quan, was enrolled at the Bordeaux Naval In China, Father enjoyed a de- she made fast progress. She held ex- Medical School at the age of 20. After cent life and respect from social elites. hibitions of her works and often went graduating with a doctoral degree, he France gradually faded to a distant out to sketch in the suburban Xishan was sent to , India, Vietnam memory. Told to return to France alone mountains, which is where she met and Iran to fight plague and cholera. at the advanced age of 82, Father felt Father. She came into Father’s life by In April 1913, he arrived in Tian- he was faced with a serious challenge taking charge of the household. All jin to become a medical officer at the to both body and mind. those years they were each other’s de- French consulate and was hired to My mother, Wu Sidan, a local pendents. Who would she depend on if teach in the medical school of China’s Chinese woman just turning 30, had Father left? Beiyang Fleet. A few months later, he been married to Father for two years. Meanwhile, Andrè Hyacinthe was called to Beijing to serve as the French minister counselor’s medical of- She was born into an affluent family. Roquette dit d’Hormon, Father’s close ficer and principal of St. Michel’s Hos- Her father, Wu Mingyuan, was general friend, was also packing to leave. He pital (also known as French Hospital). Meanwhile, he was appointed adviser for the presidential medical team of the Beiyang government. For the next 41 years, he lived in China. Father was a successful doctor who specialized in general medicine and surgery. In his private album he stored many photos with VIPs of the time, including Yuan Shih-kai, Wang Ching-wei, Mei Lan-fang, the ninth Panchen Lama and a few unidentified debutantes. His medical expertise was widely recognized, and he was fre- quently consulted by the upper class in Beijing. He was once given a Wenhu Medal Third Class by Yuan Shikai, president of China from 1912 to 1916, for his achievements and contributions. Later, Father became a professor Jean Augustin Bussière and Wu Sidan in Bussiere’s Garden.

39 Warm Reminiscences

was an outstanding sinologist, well- living in Beijing without doing any job paradise, surrounded by bamboo and spoken, always wearing a Mandarin and without causing any burden? If not guarded by pigeons, for which I’d love jacket like a Confucian scholar. From allowed by the law, could a delay until to retire from the world.” the period of the late late September be considered? Besides, I found a camera among the to the Republic of China period, he I hope that my wife will be allowed to things left by my parents. For a while had taught at the Imperial University travel with me while retaining her Chi- they were obsessed with photography of Peking, was hired as a presidential nese citizenship.” and even what are now called selfies. adviser and was a professor at Peking The letter was sent when Zhou The director of the activities seemed University and Sino-French University. was in Geneva for an international con- to be Mother. One evening, Father fell He helped promote the overseas work- ference. Father had to wait anxiously down accidentally. Mother happened study program in France and initiated for an answer. to be there and helped him up from the the Franco-Chinese Sinology Study I spent all my spare time in two ground. She tended him carefully. It Center during the Japanese occupation years after 2012 sorting literature and was probably at that moment that they of Beijing. The center had trained a photos left by my father. I felt that he realized they were in love. group of sinologists for France. had revived from the characters and In 1952, they registered their mar- Roquette never married. His ca- images and had begun telling stories of riage with the government and threw a reer, fortune and virtually all his friends his life to me. party to celebrate with about 20 invited were in China. He was so obsessed In 1923, his first wife died of an friends. Mother’s family did not ap- with collecting Chinese ancient books illness. He then lived by himself until prove of the marriage at first. Her father that he had accumulated more than he met my mother. was particularly angry that they hadn’t 15,000 copies. Despite the political I discovered that their connection consulted him beforehand. But grand- turmoil in China, he managed to save came in 1940, when he cured her lung mother sent a newly sewn bedding set the entire collection without a book be- disease. Mother later joined the as wedding gift behind grandpa’s back. ing lost. The books were packed into Opera club at the university, where she For many, the marriage was inappro- 34 cases, and he boarded a steamer learned from the famous opera singer priate, given the age gap of 52 years. heading for France with them in early Han Shichang. She once played the role Even Roquette was seriously against June1954, together with other members of heroine — Du Li-niang’s maid — in it. Many times, he tried to make Father of the Franco-Chinese Sinology Study in a public perfor- think over the potential consequences Center. mance organized by the club. Her vivid of such an imprudent decision. performance of the image of an unaf- On the other hand, Roquette Belated love fected girl radiating the beauty of youth certainly respected Mother’s virtues Father wrote to Premier Zhou En- touched Father, who was surprised to and even wrote a letter to father’s two lai expressing hope that Mother could find that his once innocent patient had daughters: “As for Sidan, I must clarify travel with him. He said: “I regard now morphed into a charming woman. that she has no other intention at all but China as my second motherland, the If not for the poem written in pure sincerity. It is brave for a Chinese Chinese people my compatriots. I be- Mother’s notebook, I would never have girl under such circumstances to be lieve that I deserve to be regarded as a known that father was a poet under bound with a foreigner from an accused guest and friend to the country where his white doctor’s coat. The poem in imperialist state.” I placed all my fortune and most pre- French reads: “As light as the shallow However, mother had to pay for cious feelings. … Could an old and sick of a swallow, as lively as the spring in her bravery. The reply from the Foreign man like me be allowed to continue the hills, thy brush strokes created a Ministry was that Father would leave

40 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

without her by late September. Before Before the building of the gar- soldiers put the medicines and gasoline his departure, Roquette came to the den, father lived in the 6 Datianshuijin on a donkey cart and transported the garden to say goodbye. During the 40 hutong near Wangfujing. The residence materials across mountains to the resis- years in Beijing, Roquette and Father had two yards flanking a five-room tance force’s base area. Father had done were like brothers who met almost ev- hall. In the garden of the west yard seven surgeries for wounded soldiers of ery week. But now they faced separa- were planted pines and cypresses, flow- the Eighth Route Army with Mother’s tion. ering cherry-apples and bamboo. The help. They recalled that every Wednes- hall in the middle was where salons Father once made a donation to day evening, Bussiere’s garden be- were often held. Salons began to be build a bridge to make transportation came a social hub for French people in held in the new residence after the Bus- easier. Li Shizeng inscribed the bridge China. Besides Roquette, there were siere Garden was built in 1923. Guests with “Bridge of Doctor Bussiere”. Fa- poet and archaeologist Victor Segalen; came and went. Father remained like ther had great sympathy for farmers sinologists Paul Pelliot and Marcel a silent tree witnessing the changes of and never charged them for medical Granet; anthropologist, philosopher the seasons. treatment. He said: “I am a peasant. and paleontologist Pierre Telhard de Soil is in my blood. I have a natural The “Xishan” of Auvergne Cherdin; adventurer Alexandra David- bond with all those who labor on land.” Neel; judge and Orientalist Gustave- When summer came in 1954, the The day for departure came soon. Charles Toussaint; and paleontologist time remaining for Father was run- On Oct 1, 1954, Father, with 30 US and archaeologist Emile Licent, all in ning out. He and Mother packed things dollars in his pocket, left for , their prime. distractedly, but a photo captured their where he would board a ship bound for Alexis Léger, secretary of the attention, reminding them of the Japa- French legation, was also a frequent nese occupation of Peking after the visitor who didn’t speak Chinese but July 7 Incident in 1937. At the time, the was fond of Chinese culture. Roquette, guerrilla warfare areas of the resistance whom he admired so much, gave him a forces, led by the Chinese Communists, pronounced as Lei Xi-ai. were suffering a severe shortage of Leger was a diplomat but known medicine. Some underground personnel as a poet. In 1960, he wrote the epic came to my father for help. Anabase under the pen name of Saint- Father began to secretly transport John Perse, which won him the Nobel medicines to the Eighth Route Army Prize in literature. The epic was in- using his own car. When gasoline was spired by a trip to Mongolia with my controlled and rationed as “strategic father and others in May 1920 and was goods”, Father had to use a bicycle to completed at the Taoyuguan Taoist smuggle it to the Communists, each temple in Xishan. On Sept 22, 1917, time carrying a few gallons and travel- Leger wrote to Dad describing the ing several dozen kilometers per round scenery in Xishan as “endless pleasure trip. during the night with extreme vanity Each time, he had to pass many and absolute quietness leading one to checkpoints set up by the Japanese go deep into his dream and not return army to bring the goods he had bought Dr Jean-Louis Bussière with his wife till the daybreak”. to his garden residence. Underground in Beijing on Oct 25, 2018.

41 Warm Reminiscences

France. Saying goodbye was hard. Let- tion. Since then, he never had to sell that our hearts are together. I will fol- ting go of hands would mean parting anything from his collection of Chinese low his will to bring Jean-Louis up in forever. Mother accompanied father to ancient books to cover living expenses. France. I told him that I had the cour- the wharf and was watching him pass The work took him 10 years. The age and that he need not worry. He through customs when a policeman ran lamp in his room in the Abbye always understood my words but could not an- over with a slip of paper. It was a pass burned through the night. Roquette swer. He held my hands in his. I knew for Mother, signed by Premier Zhou. wrote to Father: “My dear brother, I my own cross would carry more bitter- Mother finally was able to travel along. feel physically and spiritually exhaust- ness and would last longer.” Father opened the birdcage he was ed by the hard labor. As I write these Mother and I depended on each carrying and set free the lark he had lines, the day breaks and the sun is ris- other for survival. She worked in the intended to take to France. Wearing a ing to cast rosy rays on the chestnut mountains and painted in her spare qipao cheongsam and in tears, Mother trees.” time for art exhibitions. I grew up and followed him to board the ship. I was born the second year after entered the same military medical uni- They settled in central France in a Father and Mother settled in France. versity where Father once studied. Af- small village called Auvergne in Cha- Father was happy to have a son at the ter graduation, I became a cardiologist. teauneuf-le-bain. The village had only age of 83 and wrote to Roquette, who Mother died at the age of 89 in June about 400 residents. Father renovated replied soon. He gave me a Chinese pet 2013 to reunite with my father in the an old building beside a river. Mother nam “Xiao Ruier”. other world. Bussiere’s Garden was left would often look at the mountains on In June 1957, Father decided to untended for half a century. I thought the other side, which were covered with visit Roquette. We three traveled to it had been forgotten by everybody. lush woods and emitted steam from Paris by train. There was no direct To my surprise, the garden had been hot springs, and would be lost in a deja transportation to Abbye de Royau- renovated by the government of Haid- vu, as if she had gone back to Beijing’s mont, so we had to walk the last few ian district in 2013 and I was invited Xishan. kilometers. Father had trouble walk- to visit China the following year. I saw They crossed the river every day ing and needed a cane for support. He my father’s garden for the first time to cultivate the land and plant trees. stopped every hundred steps or so. and met some of his patients, who told Mother had never done any farm work It had been three years since they me they had never forgotten him. In but soon became a real country woman. last met in Beijing. The reunion would 2015, the garden was named the China- In his letter to Roquette, father wrote: be their final farewell. Roquette put France Cultural Exchange Base. “Sidan helped me farm the land. Ill- aside what he was doing and showed us In late October 2018, I traveled ness had almost stopped me from doing around the Abbye excitedly. We took to Beijing with my wife for activities anything.” Mother couldn’t bear to see our first and last group photo under the commemorating the 60th anniversary Father laboring, so she took on most of church spire. of Father’s death. On the morning of the work. Soon after that trip, Father fell ill. Oct 25, I gave a speech on Father’s By that time Roquette had moved On Feb 5, 1958, he left this world at the life, illustrated by pictures displayed in to Abbye de Royaumont, which was age of 86 in his house in Chateauneuf- the peace garden. When I returned to built in the 17th century. UNESCO was le-bain. Mother informed Roquette by my seat next to the writer, who was to planning to publish a series featuring letter and wrote: “There is nothing but help me write this article in Chinese, Oriental literature. Dream of the Red emptiness in my mind. I am heartbro- I said: “My father was not only a Chi- Chamber was on the list. Roquette got ken … he was so quiet in the last three nese culture lover but also a human- the job of proofreading its French edi- hours, like a dying candle. I told him ist.”

42 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

Lao Dong and his story of a small city

Lan Yan

n the eyes of his acquaintances, Lao ternational friendship cities, such as Ja- MOUs. Lao Dong and the interpreter I Dong is a man with many stories. pan’s Iwaki and Yubari, and with Ger- often waited by the fax machine, which A retired soldier of strong build many’s Gladbeck. Lao participated in was also used to receive international and cheerful disposition, Lao Dong is the establishment of friendship city re- calls, for numerous rounds of detailed always energetic in his work and deal- lationships between Fushun and Glad- discussions with their German counter- ings with people. He seems to be en- beck. In the 1980s, China and Germany parts. After one year of exchanges, the dowed with an ability of making every- began cooperating on coal mine secu- two cities officially signed an agree- one his close friend the first time they rity. Fushun’s western open-air mine ment to establish friendship city rela- meet, whatever their age or nationality. was chosen as the experimental site. tions, forging the 14th pair of friend- This ability has helped him in his work. Germany donated ventilation equip- ship cities between China and Germa- Put in his own way, he “has friends ev- ment and other instruments to the site. ny. erywhere”, or, quoting an ancient Chi- During the process, a German expert International cooperation at the nese poem, “Long distance separates introduced Fushun to Gladbeck, which local government level was brisk in the no bosom friends.” showed strong interest and expressed 1990s. Lao Dong, then in his prime of The city of Fushun, where Lao willingness to establish friendly rela- life, was busily engaged in this work. Dong lives, is a fourth-tier city with a tions. After obtaining an overall un- He was often seen standing in front of population of 2.3 million. It was once derstanding of Gladbeck, Fushun also a map of world, drawing lines between known as China’s coal capital. In the expressed hope of cooperating with Fushun and cities on the other side of 1960s and 70s, nearly every family Gladbeck, thereby opening a new phase the world. Those lines mostly pointed there had a member working in the coal of friendship with European countries. to Finland, Britain, Germany and the mines. The overall development of the Subsequently, the two cities dispatched United States. Fushun gradually ex- city relied heavily on the coal industry. delegations for mutual visits and began panded its international partnerships In recent years, as coal resources have negotiations on establishing friendship to more than 10 cities and countries in shrunk, industrial upgrading and trans- city relations. Europe and the Americas. formation have become an urgent need During this period, numerous Lao Dong once told a story of a for the city. This is reflected in its rela- letters, faxes and international calls 1-yuan . When he visited Kokkola, tions with the outside world. (emails had not yet become popular), a friendship city of Fushun in Finland, Since the early 1980s, the coal were exchanged between the two cit- an environmental monitoring project industry has connected Fushun with in- ies with repeatedly revised versions of was on the agenda. The company in-

43 Warm Reminiscences

volved in the project was in a neighbor- dairy producer, located in Kokkola, strategy for international cooperation, ing city. Lao Dong and his colleagues eventually made an investment in Fus- targeting Asia, Europe, the US and decided to drive to that city. hun by establishing a joint venture, Oceania in that order of priority. Mark- On the way, Lao Dong realized he which was the first of its kind in Chi- ings of red, yellow and blue were made had not prepared enough gifts for his na’s fresh dairy industry. on the global map in Lao Dong’s office. hosts. Learning that the project leader Lao Dong concluded through his It was also during this period that was a coin collector, he suddenly had experience that when friendship cities Fushun’s exchanges with foreign coun- an idea. Discussions about the project were first established, one could only tries became as diverse as the colorful went on smoothly, and upon leaving, start with small matters, but as time patches on that map. Those exchanges Lao Dong presented a picture album went on, the seemingly trivial matters, and cooperation projects focused more about Fushun and a 1-yuan coin to the put together, would amount to a big on people-to-people and cultural sec- project leader as a gift. He expressed deal, achieving win-win results to ben- tors. Unlike the usual early period after his appreciation for what the Finnish efit people of both cities. people make their first acquaintance, official had done and invited him to With the robust economic devel- the values of East and West immediate- visit China. The project leader had nev- opment of the first two decades of the ly became deeply integrated. This inte- er visited China before. Lao Dong told 21st century, China’s comprehensive gration first took shape in education. him to use the 1-yuan coin when arriv- strength and influence have grown dra- In early 2008, at the invitation of ing in China to make a phone call to let matically. More and more countries our association, a delegation from West him know. in the world are willing to work with Wood High School in the UK visited “I will go to the airport to meet China to enhance cooperation and ex- Fushun No 2 Middle School in a bid you right away. If you do not come, changes. to find a Chinese partner. After this just keep the coin as a souvenir,” he Coinciding with the world’s his- visit, both schools jointly applied to the said. The project leader smiled an “I torical trend and trying to meet its ever- Subjects Cooperation Fund offered by know” smile. growing need for communication with the UK’s Department of Education. A The project turned out to be ex- the world, Fushun has formed a new project called Homestay Mutual Visits tremely successful. The project leader visited Fushun and became good friends with Lao Dong. Nothing, not even mountains or seas, can separate people with common goals and ideals. Since establishing friendship city relations more than 20 years ago, Fushun and Kokkola have sent delegations to visit each other every year, promoting pragmatic ex- changes in education, environmental protection, sports, food manufacturing, overseas students exchanges and labor. As mutual understanding deep- ened, Lapland Food, Finland’s largest

44 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

and Cultural Integration was officially ered the exchanges between Fushun motion of ’s legacy worldwide established. and local schools at length, wishing to and wanted more people to better un- By the end of January 2010, the establish a new type of relationship be- derstand Fushun as a city full of shin- first group of 10 students from Fus- tween the two regions. ing humanity and glory. hun No 2 Middle School traveled to Over the next few years, Fushun On March 5, Lao Dong took the the town of Leek in central England worked with Yhteislyseon Lukio high story of Lei Feng to Malaysia. A photo for a six-day education exchange and school in Finland, and high schools in exhibition about Lei Feng’s legacy was homestay visit. When the students ar- Japan and Singapore on homestay stu- successfully held in Kuala Lumpur, rived, they were welcomed by rounds dent exchange programs. High schools arousing great interest and rounds of of “Hello, Duck”, a local form of greet- in Fushun have since been more active- discussion. The exhibition received fa- ing. Their visit also set in motion a ly engaged in robust international co- vorable comments throughout its run. whirlwind China craze. Every resident operation, creating win-win situations Later, as Lao Dong entered his of the town was excited. through people-to-people exchanges During their stay, the students and mutual trust. 50s, whenever the small city of Fushun learned a lot about the daily lives of the The happiest thing Lao Dong en- and its international partnerships were British people. They saw how they sep- joyed in those days was to see young mentioned, he always squinted his eyes arated their garbage into different cat- people from different countries, full of when telling the anecdotes, as if he egories, how British parents talked to vigor and vitality, sit together sharing were counting family heirlooms. their children on equal footing and how dreams and aspirations. He remembered the Japanese city much freedom British children had at Lao Dong says that a city should of Yuparo, one of Fushun’s first friend- home. possess its own culture and soul. In his ship cities. Both had been running out They also attended to lessons in eyes, Fushun is a city with soul. Its an- of coal. However, Yuparo had success- British high schools. They studied and cient industrial civilization has laid a fully transformed itself into a tourist made reports alongside British students solid foundation for its industrial devel- destination, while Fushun had yet to and together cooked traditional Brit- opment and unique culture. do so. Although interactions between ish food known as sausage and mash. The legacy of Chinese military the two cities were inconsistent, sweet In return, they taught British students hero Lei Feng is still appreciated and melon seeds — gifts from Yuparo — how to make jiaozi dumplings and tie admired by Funshun citizens. As the had been sowed in the soil of Fushun, Chinese knots. Some of them even con- Belt and Road Initiative sets the rhythm bearing abundant fruit with delicate nected live online with their parents of the new era, China has shown itself fragrance. Before his retirement, Lao back home to ask how to make dump- as a great power on the international Dong had wanted to do more to make ling stuffings when lacking certain in- stage and expressed an unprecedented sure those friendship relations would gredients. concern for the destiny of mankind. When visiting Oxford University, As the city where the Lei Feng legacy be carried on from generation to gen- the art museum and Beatles Museum, originated, Fushun has many stories to eration. and watching matches of the Leek let the world know. Town soccer team, the Chinese students For a time, Lao Dong was often (The author is an official of the felt a strong atmosphere of culture and seen visiting the Lei Feng Museum, Fushun Municipal People’s Asso- the joy the game brought to the local and stacks of documents were piled on ciation for Friendship with Foreign people. The Post Times of Leek cov- his desk. He was working on the pro- Countries.)

45 Warm Reminiscences

Joseph Needham and Rewi Alley’s China complexes

Liu Guozhong

octor Joseph Needham and Rewi the Chinese People’s Association for way. Many scholars, such as British D Alley first met in Alley’s cave Friendship with Foreign Countries and Marxism historian Eric Hobsbawm, dwelling in Shuangshipu town, Feng the State Administration of Foreign Ex- Australian humanist Helena Sheehan county, province, on Sept 18, perts Affairs initiated Chinese Connec- (who believed in scientific Marxism) 1943. Alley soon occupied a special tion, an online rating program selecting and Gregory Blue, a professor in the status among Needham’s close friends. the 10 most famous foreign friends of Department of History at the University Even many years later, when speaking the Chinese people. Needham, the Brit- of Victoria, Canada, who had been a of Alley, Needham remarked: “There on who made ancient Chinese science private assistant to Needham, regarded cannot be a dearer friend and a more and technology known to the world, him as a true Marxist. Chinese scholars trusted colleague.” and Alley, the New Zealander who had Yuan Zemin and Wang Fengxiang Although both of them came from spent 60 years living and working in said Marxism had a strong impact on Western countries, Needham and Al- China, were both on the list of those Needham’s career. ley were hardly the same in terms of honored — international friends who According to Needham himself, education and their life and work ex- in the eyes of more than 56 million ne- in his studies of the history of Chinese periences in China. Yet they shared the tizens had made the greatest contribu- science and technology, he used the same passion for Chinese culture, and tions to China over the past 100 years method of historical materialism, or both supported the Chinese people’s and were most respected and loved by put another way, the Marxist method War of Resistance Against Japanese the Chinese people and most profound- of studying science and technology Aggression (1931-45), closely watched ly connected with China. history. He actually considered himself and helped unveil to the world China’s This article offers an analytical a Bolshevik when in high school. He achievements in building its economy view of how their China complexes read Karl Marx’s The Capital and and made positive contributions to the took root and what they contributed to Friedrich Engels’ Dialectics of Nature promotion of cultural exchanges be- China’s construction and development. and became an extreme leftist in the tween East and West and nurturing of British Labour Party and remained so Belief in Marxism people-to-people friendship. In 2009, throughout his life. when celebrating the 60th anniversary Although not a member of the Despite the criticism from all of the founding of the People’s Repub- Communist Party, Needham thought sides because of his political slant, lic of China, China Radio International, and behaved in a conspicuously Marxist his sympathy toward leftists and his

46 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

friends, he stuck to his beliefs. When he and Austrian progressive Ruth F. Weiss, Wanli period of the heard that Chairman Mao Zedong had formed a Marxism study group. From (1368-1644). The visit was of historical announced the founding of the People’s time to time, the group met to read significance. Republic of China, he burst into tears. and discuss Marxism classics such as During his stay in China, He declared openly that communism Manifesto of the Communist Party and Needham served as science counselor was the best social and political system Wage-Labor and Capital, as well as to the British embassy. He soon for the governance of a country as big other theories on surplus value, history prepared and established the Sino- as China. of social development and the path of British Science Cooperation Office, In his search for the truths of the revolution in Asian societies. through which he provided Chinese Chinese revolution, Alley arrived in As a result of this systematic institutions of science and technology, Shanghai in April 1927. He found a job study, Marxism became deeply rooted in areas blocked by the Japanese army, at the Shanghai Municipal Council. In in Alley’s mind. Years later, when with scientific documents, instruments his capacity as an inspector at a factory, he was working at the Bailie School, and chemicals for experiments. By he witnessed the miserable lives of which was dedicated to training people conveying information and promoting child workers under the control of the for the Gung Ho movement, Alley put science and technology exchanges, he institution of indentured labor. into practice Marx’s thought that “part- helped preserve and promote scientific He traveled to Wuxi in March time working and part-time schooling development in the war-torn country. 1929. Six young people there were is the embryo of future education” From spring 1943 to autumn sentenced to death simply because they and explored its application, training 1945, he visited 10 Chinese provinces, had fought for better living conditions. people in technical skills for building covering more than 25,000 kilometers It greatly shocked him. He returned up China. Alley was a true practitioner and nearly 300 institutions of education to Shanghai agonized by what he had of Marxism. and research. In three years, he helped witnessed and sought opinions from his deliver 138 scientific papers written by Support for the Chinese People’s friend Henry Baring, a school principal Chinese scholars to the West. Eighty- War of Resistance Against Japanese and an English newspaper editor in the five percent of those papers were Aggression city. At that time, Alley had no fixed published. A total of 6,775 books, political beliefs. All he had in mind When Japan invaded China, the various scientific equipment and 200 were general principles of kindness. British government explicitly declared microfilmed periodicals on engineering Baring offered him a copy of The that it would not impose sanctions and medical science were brought to Capital, and he read through it, finding on Japan. That infuriated Needham. China from the UK and donated to its analysis to be sound. Apart from participating in left-wing scientific and research institutes. He Alley’s experiences at the factory book clubs in London, he also went on also applied, through the Sino-British helped him understand the book. Baring marches supporting China’s boycott of Science Cooperation Office, to obtain not only provided him with works of Japanese goods as his time permitted. £360,000 from the British Council Marx and Lenin, but also exchanged He became known as one of the most to buy equipment for experiments at thoughts with him. His interests in ardent supporters of the Chinese Chinese scientific institutions that had purchasing and reading books on social people’s war against Japan. In February been forced to move to inland China progress grew. In 1934, a group of 1943, Needham left the UK for China. and were in dire condition. The move like-minded people, including German It was the first Western professional provided timely support for China’s political economist Hans Shippe, delegation of scientists, led by an science and technology research, American journalist Agnes Smedley academician, to visit China since the which was still in its early stage of

47 Warm Reminiscences

development. kilometers. economic defense against Japanese Meanwhile, the British Council According to incomplete statistics, invasion but was also useful in unifying dispatched six British and 10 Chinese Gung Ho spread to 17 provinces during China. His efforts in promoting Gung scientists to different places in China the war, involving more than 1,700 Ho conveyed to the world the Chinese for investigations. cooperatives and 25,000 cooperative people’s determination to win the war. When he was back in the UK, members, and benefiting more than The movement also played an Needham went on the air to tell the 200,000 job seekers and refugees. active role in attaining international British people what he had learned The cooperatives produced more than assistance. Gung Ho symbolized the about Chinese scientists’ lives and 120,000 pieces of equipment and Chinese people’s faith in final victory work during the war, in a bid to solicit agricultural tools, 820 million square against the Japanese fascists and their international support for the Chinese yards of canvas and other types of cloth pursuit of democracy and progress. people in the war countering Japanese for civilian use, 2.5 million military Building a bridge of friendship aggression. blankets, more than 11 million military between the Chinese people and To support China, Rewi Alley suits and shoes and daily outfits, and people of the UK and New Zealand initiated Gung Ho, or industrial other daily necessities, including cooperation, along with Helen and leather, candles, soap and food. The After the founding of the People’s Edgar Snow. With the joint efforts products effectively supported Chinese Republic of China, Western countries, of Alley and his friends, the China armies fighting the Japanese aggressors. the US in particular, adopted a hostile Industrial Cooperation Association During this period, Alley’s stance toward China. They denied the was established in in work aimed at consolidating legitimacy of the new Chinese govern- August 1938. Alley was appointed the basic structure of Gung Ho. ment and imposed a trade embargo in its executive director. He was also Under his guidance, cooperatives an attempt to thwart the country’s eco- technical consultant to the association’s united themselves into production nomic growth. executive council, which allowed him associations, providing marketing and Despite their different situations, to carry out Gung Ho missions in areas credit services. After 1943, in addition Needham and Alley both took it under the control of the enemy. to his continuous participation in upon themselves to increase mutual From 1938 to 1942, Alley devoted activities organized by the International understanding and friendship between all his energy to Gung Ho, trying to Committee for the Promotion of the people of China and their own solve financial and technical problems Chinese Industrial Cooperatives, countries. in the movement’s development. He Alley mainly focused on the training Needham was a true supporter visited inland China, where the Eighth of technicians and managers for Gung of the new China. To enrich the Brit- Route Army and New Fourth Army Ho, as well as on the construction and ish public’s understanding, Needham, were based. He talked to local farmers development of the Bailie School. along with Derek Bryan and his wife, about the importance of forming In 1944, when the international Liao Hongying, established the Britain- cooperatives and directed preparations community was increasingly worried China Friendship Association in 1955. for the establishment of cooperatives about the situation in China, Alley Needham was elected the chairman. and their regional branches. Despite published an article in the August Within 10 years, the association had difficulties in transportation, he visited edition of the American journal Free enrolled 2,000 members to engage in more than 10 Chinese provinces, World. He pointed out that Chinese consolidating connections between the traveling no less than 10,000 Gung Ho not only constituted an UK and China. They criticized the Brit-

48 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

ish government’s lukewarm China poli- as a major channel for promoting Whangarei and Christchurch formed cy, lobbied to increase trade with China mutual understanding, exchanges and the New Zealand-China Friendship and initiated discussions on China’s cooperation between the two countries Association. The establishment of the lawful seat in the United Nations. and between China and the West, association not only increased people’s After the Britain-China Friendship making indelible contributions to the understanding about China but also Association was dissolved, Needham development of China-UK relations.” changed some preconceived notions. established and chaired the Society In 2015, the society initiated The association played a positive for Anglo-Chinese Understanding in a plan called the Society for Anglo- role in New Zealand’s recognition of 1965 to keep the cause of friendship Chinese Understanding 2065, looking the People’s Republic of China. The going. When China was in complete forward to its goals over the next 50 two countries officially established isolation from international society, years. The society, reviewing the past diplomatic relations in 1972, expanding the SACU kept its connections. As a while setting its eye on the future, channels for mutual visits. matter of fact, the SACU was the only would implement an innovative way of During the process, Alley channel through which Britons could development, functioning as a bridge played a unique role. He was known visit China in the late 1960s. Needham linking the two countries. as a hospitable host for visitors himself visited many times. After the founding of New China, from New Zealand. His home on Since its establishment, the many foreign expatriates chose to Taijichang Street welcomed numerous SACU has been working to help the leave, but Alley stayed to continue delegations from the New Zealand- British people understand more about his efforts to promote friendship. It China Friendship Association, and China, diminish misunderstandings had always been his aspiration to help all the guests treasured the honor to between the two countries and clarify people understand each other through be invited to his home. Chris Elder, distorted facts. It made indispensable practical exchanges and to forge mutual New Zealand’s ambassador to China, contributions to the promotion of trust. This was of particular significance said: “Despite different views held Britain-China friendship. to the newly established republic. He by past governments of New Zealand In May 2015, the SACU wrote to his friends in New Zealand, toward Rewi Alley, he has remained celebrated its 50th anniversary. Chinese saying: a strong connection linking ordinary Ambassador Liu Xiaoming attended “At this particular time, the best citizens in New Zealand with China. the celebration and pointed out: possible assistance to China from He was a strong force in propelling “In the past 50 years, the Society overseas friends is to do everything the establishment of the New Zealand- for Anglo-Chinese Understanding possible to help the Chinese people China Friendship Association.” has been working to increase mutual maintain and strengthen friendship. After the 1950s, Alley published understanding between China and the May I venture to suggest that you books and made speeches on tours UK and between the people of the two establish the New Zealand-China in New Zealand, improving his countries. Facilitated by its efforts, Friendship Association with yourselves countrymen’s understanding of China. misunderstanding and prejudice have as core members. It is my honor to He had many projects to finish in been reduced. Influenced by its passion, keep in touch with you and I will do China, but he knew the particular delegations made up of ordinary my best to help.” importance of introducing China. Jack citizens have visited each other. It Following his suggestions, Ewen, former president of the New has unveiled the real China to the starting from the 1950s, some New Zealand-China Friendship Association, British people, assuming responsibility Zealand organizations in Auckland, said: “Rewi Alley and George Hatem

49 Warm Reminiscences

have paramount enthusiasm and and cultural exchanges, strengthening his departure for China, he could unparalleled capability in introducing friendly exchanges and supporting speak Nanking Mandarin and write in China.” economic cooperation. Chinese. It is safe to conclude that Alley In its everyday work, the New He was fully aware of the built a special bridge linking China with Zealand-China Friendship Association profound bias Western people had New Zealand. His long-term efforts has preserved and kept alive against the Chinese and Oriental helped connect people of different Alley’s legacy — Bailie education, culture. Subconsciously, they believed cultures and ideological habits. During cooperatives and New Zealand-China that Western culture and knowledge his visit to New Zealand, , friendship. were superior to any other. Needham then China’s premier, called Alley the saw this belief as the outcome of Promoting Chinese culture symbol of people-to-people friendship puerility and ignorance and tried to between China and New Zealand. Li’s Both Joseph Needham and Rewi correct it by writing a book, hoping to counterpart, David Lange, said Alley Alley loved Chinese culture. From the change people’s minds. was the founder of the friendship perspective of Westerners, they told the From 1943 to 1945, he worked between New Zealand and China. Chinese story to Western audiences, on the book. With couragefueling In 2012, the New Zealand-China helping them understand. Science and hisdauntless effort, Needham went to Friendship Association celebrated Civilization in China, a monumental China to conduct field investigations its 60th anniversary. , vice- work by Needham, was written from a and study Chinese history and science. chairman of the National Committee Western perspective, and with Western His report was published in Nature of the Chinese People’s Political language and logic. It made the great to let the world know about Chinese Consultative Conference, addressed ancient Chinese civilization known in science and technology. the ceremony. In his speech, Liao the West. English readers obtained a In 1945, he and his wife co- expressed appreciation for the positive better understanding of China’s great authored Chinese Science, their first contributions made by the association contributions to the world. book about China. Back at Cambridge in enhancing people-to-people Needham took an interest in after his service to UNESCO, Needham friendship and promoting exchanges China in 1937. That year, three Chinese devoted himself wholly to the study of and cooperation between the two students arrived in the UK for their Chinese science history. On Aug 18, countries. doctoral education. One of them was 1954, the first volume of Science and At the International Forum on Lu Gwei-Djen, whose mentor was Civilisation in China was published Rewi Alley’s Internationalism and Dorothy M. Needham, wife of Dr. and well-received by the international the Belt and Road Initiative held Needham. Lu did not expect that she intelligentsia. Arnold Toynbee, Cyril during the First Silk Road (Dunhuang) and her fellow Chinese would have a Hinshelwood, Richard Boston and International Cultural Expo in profound influence on him, but a mystic Arthur Hummel all had high regard 2017, Dave Bromwich, incumbent magnetic force emerged between them. for the book. Laurence Picken, one president of the association, stressed The arrival of the young Chinese of Needham’s colleagues and a the significance of reviewing and accelerated Needham’s interest in renowned scholar of Chinese music, cherishing the basic concepts followed Chinese history and culture. To acquire said in the Manchester Guardian that by Alley when he founded it 65 years a deeper understanding of Chinese what Needham had achieved was “an ago. Those concepts, Bromwich said, culture, he picked up the study of its immense success … and was perhaps included promoting people-to-people language in 1938. By 1942, before the greatest move by far taken by

50 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

a single person in comprehensive and helped spread the country’s story report, he published a sequence of historical research and cross-culture to the West. reports and books, including People’s exchange.” The East Asian History of Science Power, a book about ordinary farmers Soviet scholars said Needham’s Library and the Needham Research and workers uniting in cooperative work “demonstrated the highest Institute he founded have become chief organizations to strive for a better respect for the Chinese people, their institutions for Westerners to study life, and Humanitarian China, which creativity and their contributions to the history of science development in described places seldom visited by Chinese civilization.” The publication China and East Asia. Both institutions foreigners, such as Lanzhou, Xining of the book greatly enriched people’s are frequently visited by scholars and Baotou. knowledge and understanding. from around the world. Through these In addition, he composed prose Needham returned to China in institutions, Needham’s legacy will be and poems based on facts he had 1952, followed by more visits in 1958, kept alive for future generations. witnessed during his visits and stories 1964, 1972, 1978, 1984 and 1986, As with Needham, Rewi Alley about changes in people’s lives and accompanied by Doctor Lu Gwei-Djen. studied ancient Chinese civilization their morale. These writings were all While there, he met with old friends, during his trips, and he collected new well-received by his readers. What made new ones, traveled across the material to introduce to the outside Alley did was to mix with ordinary country, collected materials for his world. When China began contacting people and truthfully recordwhat he had writing and delivered speeches. peace activists after the founding of seen to convey to Western readers how He devoted the latter half of his the new republic, Alley had already hundreds of millions of Chinese were life to the writing and editing of Science acquired a better understanding of the building a new world with creativity and Civilisation in China, which was importance of reducing the bias and and hard work. originally planned to include 35 books misunderstandings of people in the Meanwhile, he never avoided the in seven volumes with more than 10 West against China. problems China faced. His objective million words. Alley thought the best thing reports from the perspective of a Starting from the 1950s, a team he could do was to introduce China Westerner won him credibility among of scholars from the UK, US, China, through his writings. He realized he Western readers. Germany, France and Canada worked should introduce not only the dramatic Alley wrote poems describing on the treatise. By 2000, 17 books had changes that had taken place in the Chinese people’s daily lives, translated been published. This work greatly country but also the construction ancient Chinese poems into English increased Westerners’ knowledge of projects and major events that were and introduced Chinese pottery in Chinese culture and promoted scientific then going on. Readers of his reports plain language. He tried to get Western progress both in China and the world at would far outnumber the audience that people to understand more about large. would listen to his lectures in other ancient Chinese culture. Needham’s greatest contribution countries. David Lange, former prime was that he used plain, simple Yo Banfa, written by Alley in minister of New Zealand, said that English that most Westerners could the early 1950s in the form of diaries, Alley’s efforts were greatly admired understand to explain China’s contains his observations of ordinary and commended by the Chinese people historical achievements in science and Chinese people. It was translated and appreciated by people in other technology. The books were the most into several languages and proved parts of the world. A prolific writer, precious gift Needham gave to China a great success. Starting with this Alley introduced Chinese culture and

51 Between Friendship Cities

Links between Shakespeare history and demonstrated the value of and Tang Xianzu debuts friendship and humanity for human society. His efforts also contributed to the close relationship between New in British Museum Zealand and China. Jiangxi Friendship Association Though they observed Chinese cultural history and present-day n June 25, the Integration of upon-Avon. Fuzhou built Sanweng developments from different angles, O Culture and Tourism Practice and Park to commemorate Tang Xianzu, both Needham and Alley introduced Knowledge Sharing Session was held Shakespeare and Cervantes (hence Chinese culture to the Western world at the British Museum as part of China the word “sanweng”, literally “three and helped lessen the West’s bias and Tourism and Culture Week. Christopher venerable literati”). The city also plans misunderstandings about Chinese Kettle, chairman of the Stratford-upon- to build a replica of the town where culture and the new China. Avon District Council, was the first Shakespeare lived near London. Needham was a renowned to share his experiences and thoughts The number of Chinese tourists chemist, a member of the Royal Society about promoting links between William visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace has and an academician of the British Shakespeare, the English poet, and increased dramatically, ranking second Academy of Sciences. He pioneered Tang Xianzu, the Chinese playwright in London’s list for welcoming overseas British scientific assistance to China of the Ming Dynasty, with an audience tourists. For this reason, schools in the in the early 1940s and devoted the of nearly 140 government officials city have opened Chinese classes. rest of life to researching the history and scholars from the fields of culture, In recent years, the Jiangxi friend- of Chinese science and promoting tourism, science, education, industry ship association has actively opti- friendship between the people of the and research. mized its own advantages in foreign two countries. Kettle said the link between exchanges to make friends from other Alley witnessed the sufferings Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu sprang countries through cultural exchange of the Chinese people in the first from the initiative of President Xi events. In April 2016, the JAFFC half of the 20th century. During the Jinping, launched during Xi’s visit joined the Fuzhou Municipal Govern- Chinese People’s War Against Japanese to Britain in 2015, to commemorate ment and the CPAFFC to successfully Aggression (1931-45), he initiated the 400th anniversary of the deaths of hold a seminar in the United Kingdom the Gung Ho movement to support Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu. to commemorate the 400th anniversary the Chinese armies on the economic Subsequently, the Chinese of the deaths of Shakespeare and Tang front. After 1949, he devoted himself People’s Association for Friendship Xianzu. In September 2016, the JAFFC to publicizing China’s domestic with Foreign Countries, the Jiangxi actively participated in hosting a series achievements and the promotion of Association for Friendship with Foreign of events as part of the same commem- friendship between the people of China Countries, the city of Fuzhou (Tang oration, organized by the Jiangxi pro- and New Zealand. Xianzu’s birthplace) and Stratford- vincial government and the CPAFFC in Both contributed immensely to upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace) Fuzhou. In 2017 and 2018, the JAFFC China’s well-being and development carried out exchanges and cooperation held a festival celebrating Tang in Fu- and to the world’s understanding of the for four years. A peony pavilion zhou — the Tang Xianzu Theater Festi- country. They are well worth Chinese (named for Tang’s masterpiece) was val and International Theater Exchange people’s admiration and respect. constructed and moved to Stratford- Month.

52 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

Jiangxi attends Fifth China-US Governors Forum

Jiangxi Friendship Association

he Chinese People’s Association and businesspeople from both sides. are looking forward to expanding T for Friendship with Foreign In their speeches at the forum, cooperation between the two Countries and the National Governors many emphasized the importance countries on the basis of mutual Association held the Fifth China- of Sino-US relations and actively benefit, managing differences on the US Governors Forum in the state of supported the exchanges and basis of mutual respect and jointly Kentucky in the United States from cooperation between local governments promoting Sino-US relations based May 22 to 24. and people of the two countries from on coordination, cooperation and As this year marks the 34th anni- all walks of life. At the same time, stability.” versary of Jiangxi province’s friendship there was a general appeal for proper Jiangxi Vice-Governor Wu with Kentucky, a delegation led by Wu handling of differences and frictions Zhongqiong delivered a speech at Zhongqiong, vice-governor of Jiangxi, between the two countries and a stable the welcoming banquet and made paid a six-day visit to the US to attend development of bilateral relations. a recommendation presentation the forum at the invitation of Matthew Li Xiaolin, president of the at the forum, saying: “Jiangxi has Bevin, governor of Kentucky. With ad- CPAFFC, said at the opening continuously promoted extensive equate preparation, a compact itinerary ceremony: “This year marks the 40th exchanges and cooperation between and fruitful achievements, the trip con- anniversary of the establishment of Chinese provinces and American tributed to China’s overall diplomacy China-US diplomatic relations, and it states, and has achieved fruitful and to the international promotion of is of special significance to hold the results. I hope that this forum will Jiangxi. Fifth China-US Governors Forum at serve as an opportunity to further The forum focused on agriculture, this time. We sincerely hope that China deepen Jiangxi’s collaboration with advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and the US will grasp the momentum the United States in the future, raise construction, e-commerce, cross-border of cooperation, assemble all friendly the level of cooperation, and make a trade, education and the humanities. people and pool the resources of positive contribution to the continuous Around 400 people attended, including provinces and states to create a new, development of Sino-US relations.” Tang Liangzhi, mayor of ;- splendid phase in Sino-US relations in His words had strong resonance and governor of Jiangxi province; Zhang the next 40 years.” received unanimous accolades. Shizhen, vice-governor of prov- Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador Wu and Kentucky Governor ince; governors or vice-governors of to the US, said: “The future of Sino- Matthew Bevin signed a memorandum the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, US relations should be defined by of understanding between Jiangxi and Washington, Colorado and Michigan; the people of the two countries. We Kentucky to strengthen cooperation

53 Between Friendship Cities

between the province and state. It would be collected by the Kentucky production line of 50,000 tons, rather was the only cooperation agreement Museum to encourage educational than 25,000 tons, of battery-grade signed by a province or state at the exchanges between teenagers in the lithium hydroxide. conference, and was acclaimed by the United States. Talks were held with James sponsors of the conference. In addition, The Jiangxi delegation had a Balger, vice-president of the State China’s Jiangxi Normal University and number of meetings and exchange Legislative Leaders Foundation, and Louisville University of the US signed events with Kentucky’s local officials a consensus was reached on jointly a memorandum of understanding for and major entrepreneurs. At the events, establishing a study and research bases cooperation, and Jiangxi Zhengbang Wu briefed the hosts about what in Jiangxi tourist sites such as Poyang Group of China and International Jiangxi had done to promote Sino- Lake and Lushan Mountain. Source Corp of the US signed a letter US pragmatic, friendly cooperation The Jiangxi delegation visited of intent for cooperation in agricultural and introduced the province’s natural Bank of China’s New York branch and food projects, with a joint environment and social and economic and talked with Wu Fulin, the bank’s investment of $600 million. Of the four development. Bevin, Tennessee president. Wu said BOC would contracted projects, two are in Jiangxi. Governor Bill Lee and Washington continue to support the development of Wu, the vice-governor, voiced his Vice-Governor Cyrus Habib were Jiangxi, enhance its inclination toward hope for holdijng the next China-US deeply impressed by the humanity, Jiangxi in terms of policies, funds and Governors Forum in Jiangxi. CPAFFC history, beautiful scenery and rapid projects and strive to serve Jiangxi’s President Li expressed appreciation development of Jiangxi’s economy economic development. for what the province had done in and society. They all expressed intent Talks were held with Xu Chen, conducting exchanges with the foreign to further strengthen exchanges and president of the Chinese General countries on both governmental and cooperation with the province. Chamber of Commerce in the United nongovernmental levels. She said she Wu also had a friendly talk with States. He expressed his support for agreed with Wu’s suggestion. Alex Golden, a member of the city holding the next China-US Governors In the entrance hall of the council of Charlotte, North Carolina. Forum in Jiangxi, and promised to forum’s main venue, an array of The talk led to the signing of a letter help invite more US governors and photos — themed “Beautiful Jiangxi: of intent to establish friendly relations entrepreneurs. Showing her charm to the world” between Xinyu and Charlotte. Wu also visited entrepreneurs — was exhibited to promote the Talks were also held with senior of the Jiangxi General Chamber of province’s image. The exhibition executives such as Luke Qisam, CEO Commerce in the United States and drew extensive attention and acclaim. of Yabao Co. The two sides negotiated introduced the great achievements Ambassador Cui, CPAFFC President for the launch of Phase III of a 25,000- made in Jiangxi’s economic and so- Li, Kentucky Governor Bevin and ton, battery-grade lithium hydroxide cial development in recent years. other leaders and guests attended the production line project in Xinyu. They The success of the Second Jiangxi exhibition, speaking highly of the dismissed any concern on the US side Business Congress was lauded. He province’s profound cultural heritage, about the safety of investments, and forwarded the concerns of the pro- beautiful natural scenery and rapid both sides reached a consensus on vincial Party committee and govern- development. Bevin said he hoped for accelerating related work in the early ment, expressing hope that Jiangxi a personal experience with Jiangxi’s stage of the project. entrepreneurs abroad would repay culture and natural beauty in the near Yabao said the next step is their hometown and support the de- future. All the photos in the exhibition to consider boosting Phase III to a velopment of Jiangxi.

54 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

2019 Hungarian Youth Guangdong Culture Tour a success

Guangdong Friendship Association

he Guangdong People’s lage, Dongshan temple and Dapeng Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School in T Association for Friendship Garrison in Shenzhen. Hungary. with Foreign Countries held its 2019 Besides the close-range contacts During the tour, Cang Feng, vice- Hungarian Youth Guangdong Culture with traditional Chinese culture, president of the GPAFFC, signed a gift Tour, inviting 20 Hungarian youths to the Hungarian youths gained a agreement with the school under which visit and study in the southern Chinese more intuitive understanding of the GPAFFC would donate a batch of province from June 22 to July 2. the achievements of Guangdong’s Chinese textbooks and extracurricular The tour aimed to promote ex- socioeconomic development. Their books used by 12 grades in primary changes between young people from Chinese language ability also improved and secondary schools. Guangdong and Hungary, deepening markedly. Cang encouraged the Hungarian the Hungarian youths’ understanding of At the closing ceremony of the youths to continue to learn the Chinese Guangdong and China, and cultivating tour, the students expressed their love language and culture. successors in the cause of maintaining for China and Guangdong, some of “Civilizations are colorful because China-Hungary friendship. It was part them tearful and reluctant to leave. of exchanges,” he said, adding that of Guangdong’s effort to take an active Some expressed hope for further study China and Hungary both have splendid role in cooperation between China and in China in the future. civilizations and much to learn from Central and Eastern European coun- The 20 youths were all from the each other. “I hope you will learn Chi- tries, as well to celebrate the 70th an- niversary of China-Hungary diplomatic ties. During the 10-day tour, the Hun- garian youths learned kung fu at the Guangzhou Zen Martial Arts Cultural Center and visited Guangzhou Zhixin High School and the Guangzhou Tour- ism and Business Vocational School to experience traditional Chinese culture, such as paper-cutting, tea culture and Chinese cuisine. They were accompa- nied by Chinese teachers and students. They also visited the Guangdong Mu- seum, Thirteen Hongs Museum, the Lingnan Impression Garden in Guang- zhou and the China Folk Culture Vil- Cang Feng, vice-president of the GPAFFC, signed a gift agreement with the schoolmistress of the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School.

55 Between Friendship Cities

nese well, pay more attention to China and Guangdong and play a bigger role Dialogue deepens friendship in bilateral cooperation in various fields in the future.” Ouyang Jiangxuan, vice-president between China, France of the GPAFFC, spoke at the closing ceremony. He encouraged the young Wang Xi people to continue to serve as ambas- sadors of China-Hungary friendship, he first dialogue between Sino- lomatic and strategic partnership ties to introduce Guangdong and China to T French historic cultural cities was with the People’s Republic of China, their relatives and friends, to take the held June 14 to 16, 2019, in Pengzhou, and was also the first country to have idea of “a community with a shared fu- northwest of Chengdu. had strategic dialogue with China. To ture for mankind” back to Hungary and It was jointly organized by the improve Sino-French relations, politi- Chinese People’s Association for cal mutual trust is the key to success, to help more people to participate in Friendship with Foreign Countries, pragmatic cooperation is the only way the cause of China-Hungary friendship. the People’s Association for and friendly sentiment among the two The tour was first held in 2017, Friendship with Foreign Countries and countries’ people is the basis,” said and is one of the International Youth the Seine-et-Marne Council of France. Xi, who is also general secretary of Exchange serial events organized by Attending the conference and the Communist Party of China Central the GPAFFC. In recent years, the orga- making speeches were Li Shaoping, Committee. The meeting also set the nization has been promoting friendly minister counsellor of the cultural de- direction for China’s local governments exchanges between Guangdong and partment of the Chinese Embassy in to navigate foreign affairs. Hungary continually, which have been France; Jia Ling, deputy director of the An important gateway to Cheng- widely welcomed and supported by all Cultural Exchange Department of the du, capital of Sichuan province, Peng- sectors of both countries. Those ex- CPAFFC; Xiang Qionghua, general zhou is one of the cradles of the ancient changes, based on people and oriented secretary of the Sichuan People’s As- Shu civilization, which originated from to the future, have promoted bilateral sociation for Friendship with Foreign the Jianjiang River in the Longmen people-to-people bonds. Countries; Patrick Septiers, president mountains. The river runs through the The Hungarian-Chinese Bilin- of the Senna-Man Provincial Council vast land of Pengzhou from north to gual School is an important friendly of France; and Xie Yang, director of the south. A unique culture is vital for de- cooperative partner of the GPAFFC in Standing Committee of the Pengzhou velopment, and the ancient Shu culture Hungary. Founded in 2004, the school Municipal People’s Congress. is to Pengzhou as romance is to Paris, is now the only full-time public school On March 25, 2019, President Xi music to Vienna, history to Xi’an and in Central and Eastern European coun- Jinping held talks with French Presi- gardens to Suzhou. tries that uses both the official language dent Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee In recent years, Pengzhou has of the host country and Chinese as its Palace in Paris. The two heads of state made bold moves to raise its level of teaching language. It has become a agreed to build a more solid, stable and opening-up to the outside world, with branded project in people-to-people powerful China-France comprehensive the establishment of friendly, coopera- exchanges under the Belt and Road strategic partnership at a new starting tive relations with 15 cities in 12 coun- Initiative. A number of Chinese leaders point in history. tries. visited the school during their trips to “France was the first among ma- Pengzhou is not only develop- Hungary. jor Western countries to establish dip- ing green industries to accelerate the

56 Express News

building of a park city that is friendly for living, entrepreneurship and tour- ism but also deepening exchanges and Chinese Vice-President cooperation with international sister cities in economy, trade and culture. Pengzhou cooperated with the govern- Wang Qishan marks 70th ments of Seine-et-Marne and Morey, France, to build the Bailu Music Town anniversary of Mongolian ties in Pengzhou, which is characteristic of the 100-year relationship with France. Since the first music and art festi- Wu Jiong val in September 2013 featuring Peng- zhou Bailu and French classical music, Pengzhou has successively signed a memorandum of friendship and co- operation and an agreement establish- ing friendship relations with Seine-et- Marne and the city of Morey after 18 mutual visits and exchanges. Seine-et-Marne and the Morey- Sena-Luwan community also entered Bailu Town to set up a tourism office — Morey House — and Sichuan Mo- rey Import and Export Trading Co in Pengzhou. These moves resulted from cooperation and exchanges between Bailu Music Town and the French cit- ies, continuing the cultural exchanges between Bailu and France 150 years ago. Over the past six years, the two cities have made in-depth exchanges n July 10 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Chinese embassy, the foreign many times, focusing on economic O ministry of Mongolia and the Mongolia-China Friendship Association held and trade cooperation and cultural, ar- the Commemorative Conference on the 70th Anniversary of China-Mongolia tistic and talent exchanges. As politi- Diplomatic Ties and the ceremony conferring the China-Mongolia Friendship cal mutual trust has been consolidated Award. Wang Qishan, vice-president of China, who was on a friendly visit to and the sustainable development of the Mongolia, and Enkhtuvshin, deputy prime minister of Mongolia, attended the event sister cities has deepened, a window and delivered speeches. Wang awarded the medals and certificates of the China- has opened for mutual exchanges and Mongolia Friendship Award to four Mongolians. More than 200 guests in the fields learning between the two cities, and a of politics, economy, culture, media and government from the two countries were bond has gradually been formed. present. It was hosted by Li Xiaolin, president of the CPAFFC.

57 Express News

Vice-President Xie Yuan meets UPS president of global public affairs

Jin Hanghang

PAFFC Vice-President Xie Yuan met with UPS President C of Global Public Affairs Laura J. Lane on July 25. Xie expressed appreciation for UPS and other American enterprises for their efforts to continue business in China and maintain friendship with Chinese partners amid the tension of China-US relations. He briefed the guests from the United States about the CPAFFC’s plans in the second half of the year for exchanges and cooperation with American counterparts. He expressed hope of working with the US business community to enhance China- US friendship and promote the development of people-to-people communication and cooperation.

Vice-President Hu Sishe meets with Swiss federal parliamentarian

Liu Jiayun

n July 15, CPAFFC Vice-President Hu Sishe met with O Claude Béglé, a member of the Swiss parliament and president of the Swiss-China World Silk Road Association. Hu welcomed Mr. Béglé’s visit and expressed gratitude for the hospitality given to CPAFFC staff members and the Yushu prefecture delegation during their visit to Switzerland. Hu said the CPAFFC would continue the friendly cooperation with the Silk Road Association and strengthen pragmatic cooperation be- tween China and Switzerland in green sustainable development.

58 Voice of Friendship No. 197 Semtember 2019

Vice-President Lin Yi meets with the new president of Swiss-China Association

Sun Jiao

n July 12, CPAFFC Vice-President Lin Yi met with Andries O Diener, the new president of the Swiss-China Association, and Thomas Wagner, its honorary president. Both parties had a pleasant discussion on cooperation and communication between the CPAFFC and the Swiss-China As- sociation.

Vice-President Song Jingwu meets with Bologna vice-mayor

Wang Zeyu

ice-President Song Jingwu met with Marilena Pillati, vice- V mayor of Bologna, Italy, on July 25. Song briefed Pillati about what the CPAFFC has done to promote local government cooperation between China and Italy and said that it would continue to support cooperation between Bologna and Chinese cities. Pillati thanked the CPAFFC for its contribution to local government cooperation between Italy and China. She noted that Bologna is a center of culture, art and education in Italy and that the municipal government is dedicated to carrying out more pragmatic cooperation with Chinese local governments.

59 Express News

Secretary-General Li Xikui attends Zhejiang forum and ceremony Shao Shuai

n July 28, the Zhejiang International Economic Forum and O the founding ceremony for the Global Sustainable Development Fund, sponsored by the Zhejiang Foreign Economy Interchange Association and supported by the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, were held in Zhejiang’s Great Hall of the People in Hangzhou.Under the theme “Challenges and opportunities from economic globalization”, the forum focused on the present major policies, hot topics and trends and explored innovative approaches to cooperative development. More than 1,000 guests attended the event. Japanese delegation comes to Shenyang for exchange

Shenyang Friendship Association

n June 27, Wang Jingying, director of the Shenyang Foreign O Affairs Office and secretary-general of the Shenyang People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, met with a delegation from the Dalian Exchange Association of Kitakyushu, Japan, led by Osako Masuo. Wang Jingying welcomed the delegates, expressing hope that the visit would be a good start for further exchanges and cooperation between Shenyang and Kitakyushu in the fields of economy, trade, investment, innovation, humanities and youth to achieve win-win results. Osako Masuo told his host that he would strongly introduce Shenyang in Kitakyushu to encourage more outstanding enter- prises to come to Shenyang for business exchanges.

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