ＣＰＡＦＦＣ Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ Ｖｉｓｉｔｓ Ｇｕａｔｅｍａｌａ

From Nov. 24 to 27， 2004， a CPAFFC delegation led by its Vice President Li Xiaolin paid a visit to Guatemala， a Central American country that has not yet established diplomatic relations with China. In two and a half days’ short visit， the delegation attended 16 meetings and talks.

The delegation paid official calls on six high government officials:Rolando Morales Chavez， president of the Congress; Marcio Cuevas and Enrique Lacs， minister and vice minister of economy; Maria Castro， vice chairwoman of the State Planning Committee; Roberto Diaz， vice minister of communications and public works， and Daneil Monney， director general of the State Tourism Administration， and was invited to the home of Vinicio Cerezo， former Guatemalan President and present congressman. Vice President Li Xiaolin paid an official call on Alvaro Colom， secretary general of the National Unity for Hope， the largest opposition party in Guatemala and had talks with 14 congressmen of the Union.

The delegation had contacts with major local media including the Guatemalan TV Station Channel 7 and several radio stations， briefing about the tremendous achievements China had made in the reform and opening up and the Chinese people’s wish to develop friendship with the Guatemalan people. At the two interviews by Siglo 21， the delegation mainly briefed about the history of the Taiwan problem and China’s policy towards Taiwan. The delegation had a special discussion on Taiwan problem with Mario Antonio Sandoval， vice president of Prensa Libre， the largest local newspaper group. Guatemalan media took an objective attitude towards the delegation’s visit， believing that the visit was conducive to strengthening friendly contacts between China and Guatemala and hoped that the two countries would speed up economic and trade cooperation.