Number 172 Published in June 2013 Chinese and English CONTENTS Forums Chinese President Xi Jinping Meets with Attendees to Second China-U.S. Governors Forum ������� Sun Tao 2 Second China-U.S. Governors Forum Held ��������������������������� Sun Tao 3 In Other Lands President Li Xiaolin Leads CPAFFC Delegation to Thailand �������������������� Xu Yiyi 5 CPAFFC Delegation Visits Gabon ����������������������������� Tang Ruimin 18 CPAFFC Working Group Attends Sino-African Initiative Conference ����������������Duan Jun 19 Chinese University Student’s Impressions of Japan ��������������������������� 39 In Commemoration of 115th Birth Anniversary of Premier Zhou Enlai Chinese Dream — Concert in Commemoration of 115th Birth Anniversary of Premier Zhou Enlai Held ���������������������������������������� Our Staff Reporter 9 Latin American Friends’ Deep Reverence and Memory of Premier Zhou Enlai ����������� Tang Mingxin 10 They Will Live in Our Hearts Forever Meassage of Condolence ������������������������������������� 8 CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan Mourns over the Death of President Hugo Chavez ������������� 8 In Profound Memory of Former Russian Ambassador to China Igor A. Rogachev ��������� Qian Guangjian 29 Friendly Contacts A Song of Sino-German People’s Friendship �������������������������� Xu Nianrui 20 Friendship Activities Guinness Record of Biggest Amount of Fried Rice Set in Celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year ��� Lin Zhichang 22 Foreign Friends Join Spring Tea Picking ��������������������������� Rong You 24 Japanese Porcelain Artwork “Blue Planet of Human Life” Donated to CPAFFC ������������ Pan Lin 25 Sino-Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition Held in Kanazawa, Japan ����������������� Gao Weimin 26 Youth Cultural Exchange Held in France and Monaco ���������������������� Wang Qing 28 Reminiscence Former US Ambassador’s Love for Chinese Porcelain ���������������������� Xu Nianrui 32 Rediscover Karl Friedrich Neumann ����������������������������� Wang Wei 33 The Affections of My Life ��������������������������������� Zhang Yan 35 Foreign Friends’ View on China Why Do I Study Chinese ������������������������������������� 44 Front cover: Chinese Dream — Concert in Commemoration of the 115th Anniversary of the Birth of Premier Zhou Enlai held at the National Center for the Performing Arts (March 14, 2013) Sponsored and published by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Editor-in-Chief: Wang Hong Address: 1 Tai Ji Chang St., Beijing, 100740, China Fax: (010)65122782 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.cpaffc.org.cn ISSN 1000-9582 CN11-1234/D http://www.qikan.com Forums Chinese President Xi Jinping Meets with Attendees to Second China-U.S. Governors Forum Sun Tao “China-U.S. cooperation will ben- efit the two nations and contribute to world peace, stability and common de- velopment,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting with Chinese and US attendees to the Second China-U.S. Governors Forum in the Great Hall of the People on April 15. “Relations between China and the United States are currently at an impor- tant phase linking past and future,” he said. The President recalled his latest telephone discussion with US President Barack Obama, explaining they had agreed on the direction for building a bilateral cooperative partnership and developing a new type of relationship through continuing to promote vari- ous bilateral dialogue and cooperation Chinese President Xi Jinping with governors attending the Second China-U.S. mechanisms. Governors Forum Xi hailed the China-U.S. gover- greater role in promoting China-U.S. US governors present at the meet- nors forum as an important mechanism friendship and bilateral relations. ing were Iowa Governor Terry Brans- for regional cooperation. “China and Xi hoped the two sides would tad, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker the U.S. are economically complemen- give full play to their own character- and Virginia Governor Robert McDon- tary and see a long history of people- istics and advantages based on their nell. They said China was an increas- to-people and cultural exchanges”. He respective development strategies. He ingly important partner for them and said such activities would enrich the encouraged Chinese provinces and US their exchanges and cooperation were overall connotation and inject fresh vi- states to work more closely in tradi- fruitful. tality into cooperation at local levels. tional sectors like agriculture and ad- They were glad to attend the fo- These currently showed unprec- vance cooperation in new areas such rum and discuss deepening cooperation edented development momentum. “The as energy conservation, environmental with Chinese provincial leaders. They participating governors of both sides are protection, new energy, urban planning called for stronger cooperation in agri- gathered here for the common goal of and infrastructure, so as to deepen co- culture, trade and economy, culture and cooperation and development,” Xi said. operation at local levels and establish education so as to make greater contri- He called on both sides to work longer-term and more reliable coopera- butions to promoting U.S.-China rela- hard to develop the forum to play a tive ties. tions. 2 Voice of Friendship No. 172 June 2013 Second China-U.S. Governors Forum Held Sun Tao o implement the consensus nesses in Tianjin now, with total invest- tact between Hebei Province and Iowa T reached by the State leaders, and ment of US$6.8 billion; 161 enterprises State over the past three decades show advance exchanges and cooperation from Tianjin have invested in the U.S. government’s push, and the people-to- between local governments, the Second It is very important for the two sides to people and cultural exchanges, together China-U.S. Governors Forum co- create a good environment for mutual play a leading role in economic and sponsored by the Chinese People’s investment with joint efforts.” trade cooperation.” Association for Friendship with Foreign Governor Su Shulin pointed out Acting Governor Lu Hao said Countries and the National Governors that the restriction of investment in that Heilongjiang had only 933 US in- Association of the U.S. was held in some industries and the complicated vestment projects, lagging far behind Beijing and Tianjin April 15-16. examination and approval procedures other Chinese provinces, yet there was Huang Xingguo, Mayor of Tian- of the U.S. had greatly hindered Chi- a huge potential for cooperation. The jin, Zhang Qingwei, Governor of Hebei nese investment. He hoped that the US province hoped to strengthen coopera- Province, Lu Hao, Acting Governor side would take steps to resolve these tion especially in modern agriculture, of Heilongjiang Province, Su Shulin, issues. In recent years, the investment forestry and energy with relevant US Governor of Fujian Province and Chen environment of Fujian had improved, states. Wu, Acting Chairman of the Guangxi attracting US investment in 1,560 proj- Governor Branstad said agricul- Zhuang Autonomous Region, together ects with a total volume of US$4.7 bil- ture was of great importance to the with their American counterparts Iowa lion and a good momentum was being food security of both countries; Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Wisconsin maintained. had very good cooperation in this field Governor Scott Walker and Virginia Governor Zhang Qingwei said, with China and would continue to Governor Robert McDonnell, were “Economic and trade cooperation alone deepen exchange and cooperation in among 150 Chinese and US repre- is not sustainable. It requires multi-lev- this and other areas. sentatives. The forum was co-chaired el and multi-faceted collaboration for Governor Walker noted that the by CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin and further development. The friendly con- U.S. and China enjoyed close sub- Governor Branstad. The participants had in-depth dis- cussions on economic and trade coop- eration and environmental management experience-sharing between local gov- ernments. On China-U.S. Local Government Economic and Trade Cooperation Mayor Huang Xingguo said, “China and the U.S. are highly comple- mentary economically and there are broad areas for bilateral cooperation. There are more than 3,300 projects funded by over 700 American busi- 3 Forums national contact. China had become the protecting the ecological environment cies for inviting businesses and capital largest export market of Wisconsin out- during its development and enforced of their respective administrative region side North America, while his state was environmental protection measures in and answered questions on investment opening its door to Chinese investors the process of its industrialization and environment, laws and regulations, etc. and would continue to create a better urbanization. This had produced good About 90 Chinese and US busi- investment environment. results, but Guangxi still faced arduous ness personages from agriculture, med- Governor McDonnell said, to have tasks in the treatment of industrial waste icine, logistics, electronic science and face-to-face exchanges with Chinese water and house refuse. He hoped to technology, energy development, ma- governors and business leaders was very learn about the experiences and technol- chine building and other areas attended positive and would help enhance mutual ogy advances from his US peers. the seminar and had business talks. trust. China’s high economic growth in Governor Branstad said that it was recent years and its goal to double its imperative for the US and Chinese