CPAFFC President Lin Songtian:Carry forward the spirit of internationalism and promote people-to-people ties

Chen Ke

O n Jan 12， a commemorative activity titled Speaking with the Facts： From Red Star Over China， China Defense League Newsletter and China Reconstructs， was held in Shanghai. It was hosted by the China Welfare Institute and Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， co-organized by China Today and guided by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Wang Jiarui， vice chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the China Welfare Institute， attended the activity. Lin Songtian， president of CPAFFC， delivered a video speech.

Lin said that Red Star Over China， the China Defense League Newsletter and China Reconstructs are all successful examples of the Communist Party of China’s efforts in foreign communication， making immortal contributions to comprehensive， objective and threedimensional publicity of the CPC and New China. Madame Soong Ching Ling devoted a great deal of effort to the cause. It fully demonstrated her firm support for the just cause of the CPC and passionate and persistent pursuit of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Soong set a brilliant example for us to tell China’s stories and make its voice heard in the new era. Her deeds also left us important inspiration and valuable spiritual wealth. We should remember her great contribution to realizing national rejuvenation， safeguarding world peace and promoting human progress.

Lin said we should pay tribute to Edgar Snow， Rewi Alley and many other international friends who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the CPC and the Chinese people through thick and thin and made valuable contributions to China’s revolution， construction and reform.

Lin said that the CPAFFC has undertaken the important mission of keeping contact， maintaining and promoting friendship between international friends and the Chinese people， telling the world truths about China， carrying forward the spirit of internationalism in the new era and promoting people-to-people ties between China and the rest of the world.

He noted that to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on playing a“backbone role in public diplomacy”， the CPAFFC successfully carried out a series of people-to-people and public diplomacy activities in 2021 focusing on the CPC’s centennial. In innovative ways， it told the stories of the CPC and its international friends， carried forward and promoted the spirit of internationalism and called for “Snow in the new era”. These activities won the praise of families of international friends and showed the Party’s noble character of never forgetting old friends.

Lin commended the China Welfare Institute for its contribution to national reunification and the world’s peace， development and progress， as well as to the causes of women and children China. He also lauded Soong Ching Ling’s unremitting efforts while serving as the institute’s chair. He said the CPAFFC stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the China Welfare Institute and jointly carry forward Soong Ching Ling’s noble spirit of pursuing justice， making friends around the world， creating vehicles for international communication， serving and doing a good job in people-topeople diplomacy and making China’s voice heard.

The two organizations are working together to tell China’s story well， to create the broadest international consensus for building a community with a shared future for mankind and to foster a friendly international public opinion environment in which China can realize its dream of national rejuvenation.

The participants discussed Soong Ching Ling’s successful publicity practices and provided useful references about how to tell China’s story well in the post-epidemic era and about international communication and people-to-people diplomacy.

Attendees included Chen Jing， president of the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries； Jiang Liang， vice-chairman of 12th Shanghai CPPCC， vice-chairman of the China Welfare Institute and chairman of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation； Zhang Xiaosong， director of the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office and executive vice-president of the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries； Zhang Xiaomin， vice-chairman and secretary of the CPC Leading Party Group and secretary-general of the China Welfare Institute； Zhang Shouchuan， secretary of Party Committee and president of Bank of China’s Shanghai Branch； Yang Jiemian， director of the academic advisory committee of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies； Gui Yonghao， executive vice-president of the Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars Association， former executive vice-president of Fudan University and former president of Fudan University’s Shanghai Medical College； members of the Leading Party Group of the China Welfare Institute； heads of relevant units； and experts， scholars and people who care about and support people-to-people diplomacy.