At the invitation of the CPAFFC, former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and his wife paid a visit to Beijing from June 10 to 17, 2004. During his stay in Beijing Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu, Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, and President of the China Society for Human Rights Studies Zhou Jue, Former Vice Premier Qian Qichen, and President of the China-Arab Friendship Association Tomur Dawamat met with Boutros-Ghali. President of China Foreign Affairs University Wu Jianmin met with and entertained him and his wife. Boutros-Ghali attended the international seminar on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence hosted by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and gave an important speech. He was also invited to give speeches at the CPAFFC and China Foreign Affairs University and interviewed by the media. The main aim of his visit to China was to meet with the Chinese leaders of the new generation, attend the international seminar on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and see old friends.
When meeting CPAFFC President Chen Haosu, Boutros-Ghali said, the year 2005 marks the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. Indonesia and some other Asian countries are considering holding cerebration to mark the occasion. The South Centre in Geneva can play an important role in the activity. He, as president of the South Centre, will actively support the activity, he added.
Boutros-Ghali now serves as chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Centre. China is also a member of the Centre. In meeting with Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, Boutros-Ghali said, the South Centre is an important think tank of developing countries, and an important force to fight against economic globalization and hegemony the United States pursues. But the Centre is now faced with serious financial crisis, affecting its playing a greater role.
As chairman of the National Council for Human Rights of Egypt, Boutros-Ghali met with Zhou Jue, president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies. The two sides briefed about their own organization and expressed their wishes to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between them.