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CAFA Delegation of Local Officials and Entrepreneurs Visits Libya and Tunisia

At the invitation of the Council for the Promotion of Overseas Investment of Libya and the Agency for the Promotion of Foreign Investment of Tunisia， a China-Arab Friendship Association (CAFA) delegation of local officials and entrepreneurs headed by Ye Rongbao， vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress， paid a goodwill visit to Libya and Tunisia from September 17 to 26， 2003. The delegation was organized and sent by the CPAFFC.

During its stay in Libya， Ghaith Ibrahim Ghaith， general coordinator of the People's Leadership， and Suleiman Shahoumi， secretary of foreign affairs of the General People's Congress of Libya， respectively met with the delegation. In addition to the capital Tripoli， the delegation also toured Sabratha and other six provinces， where it visited a chemical industry corporation， the oil pipeline laying project contracted by the China National Petroleum Corporation， Misurata Iron and Steel Works， a shipyard， a port and an overseas investment company. The delegation also signed a memorandum of understanding on promoting bilateral cooperation with Misurata Province.

In Tunisia， the delegation called on the Tunisia-China Friendship Association， the Agency for the Promotion of Foreign Investment， the Tunis City Chamber of Industry and Commerce and other trade and investment agencies and visited a communications technology park as well as the Bardo National Museum and the Carthage Ruins.

Through the visit， the delegation learned about the social life， economic policies， laws， industrial and agricultural development， natural and tourism resources of the two countries， and established links with the local governments and various economic organizations， which have laid a good basis for China to carry out cooperation in the areas of economy and trade， investment， tourism and between local governments with Libya and Tunisia. (By Zhang Yue)

Second Zunhua Delegation Visits the U. S.

Invited by the United Parcel Service (UPS) of the United States， the second delegation of Zunhua City of Hebei Province headed by CPAFFC Vice President Li Xiaolin paid a goodwill visit to the United States from September 20 to 27， 2003. The 19-member delegation consisted of government officials， students， teachers and farmers. Arranged by the UPS， the delegation called on 37 US congressmen in Washington D.C. and visited the headquarters of UPS in Atlanta and Orlando. The conversation between ordinary Chinese farmers， students and teachers and US congressmen helped enhance US congressmen's understanding of China.

\"Nantong Through Eyes of Foreigners\" Photo Exhibition Held

Nantong is one of the first 14 coastal cities in China opened to the outside world. In the past 20 years， foreign friends have come to Nantong one batch after another to conduct studies on investment environment， do business， teach and carry out researches， go sightseeing， etc. They， with a friendly as well as critical eye， look at the natural environment， landscape， economic development， social physiognomy， life and customs of the city. To enrich the cultural life of foreign friends working and residing in Nantong and enhance communication and exchanges between them and the local people， the Foreign Affairs Office of the Nantong City Government， the Nantong City People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， the Nantong Daily， the Industrial and Commercial Bank of Nantong and the Nantong Photographers' Association jointly sponsored a photo exhibition entitled \"Nantong Through the Eyes of Foreigners\".

Our foreign friends responded enthusiastically. In a month's time， more than 20 people sent about 200 photos from which the sponsors selected 70 for display. The exhibition opened to the public on September 22， 2003. The sponsors invited photographic and art experts to form a judging committee to appraise the exhibits and 14 photographers won awards. The award conferring ceremony was held on October 19.

The mounting of the exhibition has played a positive role in improving Nantong's investment environment and attracting more foreigners to come to work and invest in the city. At the same time it has also enriched the life of those foreigners living in Nantong and was warmly received by them. Seiji Kanada， head of the Nantong Office of Japan's Nagoya Bank， said happily at the award conferring ceremony: \"You have learned what we are thinking about， what we are concerned about and what we like through the exhibition. I hope you will organize more activities such as this in the future.\" (By Zhao Linjin)

Korean Friend Receiving Title of Friendship Ambassador

The CPAFFC held a cermony on October 8， 2003 to confer the title of Friendship Ambassador upon Korean friend Lee Ik Soon in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the cause of Sino-Korean friendship.

Born in the Northeast of China， Mr. Lee Ik Soon is the former president of the Korean Northern Relations Council. He has worked for the cause of friendship with China and actively carried out large-scale exchange activities with the CPAFFC since China and ROK established diplomatic relations. Since 1999， he donates 10，000 US dollars every year to the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development under the CPAFFC to set up the Sino-Korean (ROK) friendship fund， which helps finance the friendship activities carried out by the CPAFFC. He has also provided， for several consecutive years， scholarships to the Chinese students studying in ROK.

CPAFFC President Chen Haosu spoke highly of the efforts made by Mr. Lee Ik Soon to promote Sino-Korean (ROK) friendship and presented him the certificate and medal of Friendship Ambassador.

Hanfu Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition Held in Beijing

The Hanfu Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition was held on October 8， 2003 in the Friendship Museum of the CPAFFC. It was cosponsored by the CPAFFC and the All-China Youth Federation to show the cultural achievements of the Chinese nation and develop Chinese calligraphic and painting art. Gu Xiulian， vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress， Wang Yunze， CPAFFC vice president， Hu Wei， secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and leading member of the All-China Youth Federation， Xie Yun， famous calligrapher and adviser to the Chinese Calligraphers' Association， among others， attended the opening ceremony. On display were 180 calligraphic works and paintings created by Han Fu in recent years.

Chinese Liyuan Opera Troupe in France

The China Fujian Liyuan Opera Troupe visited France from October 16 to 21， 2003 and staged a special performance at the Theatre of the City of Paris (Theatre de la Ville de Paris) on October 20. The performance was one of the major items on the list of opera shows during the \"China Culture Year\" held in France. The plan to send a Chinese local opera troupe to take part in the \"China Culture Year\" was worked out jointly by the CPAFFC and Pierre-Jean de San Bartolome， cultural attaché of the French Embassy in China.

Liyuan Opera， originated in Quanzhou， a historical and cultural city of China in the period between Song and Yuan Dynasties， has a history of over 800 years and is one of the most ancient operas in China. With high unity of its literary and theatrical characteristics， Mirror to Litchis， its representative piece， is a wonderful work of art. On the evening of October 20， as the curtains went up， the sad melody flowed out from dongxiao (a vertical bamboo flute) captured the hearts of the audience. An actor and an actress unfolded the love story between Chen San and Huang Wuniang with their sweet singing， vivid and expressive body movements and unique hand signs. The performance intoxicated the audience. A standing ovation lasted many minutes at the end of the show. (By Hao Zhongwei)

International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People Marked

A reception was held by the CPAFFC in Beijing on November 28， 2003 to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Ismail Amat， vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Zakaria Abdul Rahim， Palestinian ambassador to China， attended the reception. Present at the reception were more than 100 people including leading members of the departments concerned and diplomats from the embassies of the Arab countries in China. CPAFFC Vice President Wang Yunze and Palestinian Ambassador Rahim addressed the reception.

Wang Yunze said: \"Over the years， the Chinese people have always supported the just cause of the Palestinian people and stood firmly on their side. It is China's persistent position that the Middle East question should be resolved on the basis of relevant UN resolutions and the principle of 'land for peace' and through peaceful means and political dialogues.\" He expressed the belief that with concerted efforts made by the international community and the support of all peace-loving people of the world， the great cause of the Palestinian people to recover their legitimate national right and establish a Palestinian state will eventually be realized as long as the Palestinian people unite and persist in peaceful dialogues.

The United Nations designated November 29 as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in a resolution adopted on December 2， 1979. The CPAFFC holds an activity every year since 1980 to show its solidarity with the Palestinian people.