Second Meeting of Latin America and Caribbean-China Friendship Federation Held in Cochabamba, Bolivi

The second meeting of the Latin America and Caribbean-China Friendship Federation (LACCFF) was held in Cochabamba， a city in central Bolivia，from March 9 to 11， 2006. Among others present at the meeting were Guillermo Penfold， president of the LACCFF and the Argentine-Chinese Cultural Institute; Danillo Santos， secretary general of the LACCFF and president of the Brazil-China Cultural Institute; Diogenes Ortega Duran， vice president of the LACCFF and president of the Paraguay-China Friendship Association (PCFA); Isabel Damian， vice president of the PCFA; Teresa Ho， general manager of the Peruvian-China Chamber of Commerce and Ximena Barrientos， president of the Bolivian-Chinese Chamber of Industry， Mining and Commerce and the Mercosur-China Chamber of Commerce.

At the opening ceremony LACCFF President Penfold briefed about the progress of the work of the Federation in the past half a year since its founding and how it took shape and developed. He said， after consultations many times， the friendship-with-China associations in Latin American countries unanimously held that a federation of these associations that covers the whole Latin America and the Caribbean region should be established so as to better coordinate activities they organize， carry out more activities to enhance friendship with China and further expand their influence particularly on those countries that have not yet established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. In this context， at the third meeting held in Buenos Aires on November 26， 2005 leaders of friendship-with-China associations in 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries decided to establish the Latin America and Caribbean-China Friendship Federation with the aim of uniting and giving guidance to various friendship-with-China associations in Latin American and Caribbean countries， promoting their friendly exchanges with the Chinese people in the fields of culture， science， education， tourism and sports， enhancing mutual understanding between the two sides in culture， history and social and economic development， and helping those countries that have not yet established friendship-with-China associations carry out friendship activities.

On the last day of the meeting， Ximena Barrientos， president of the Bolivia-China Friendship Association， member of the Federation and host of the meeting， gave a concluding speech. She said， through warm discussions two important decisions were made at the meeting. First， the Federation will expand friendly exchanges with China from visits to each other’s country and cultural exchanges to those areas that will play substantial role in promoting bilateral relations such as economic and trade exchanges and cooperation. Thus， in the future we will welcome more personages of industrial， commercial and business circles to join our team. Second， an important resolution was passed at the meeting， strongly denouncing the recent perverse act of the Taiwan authorities to cease the function of the National Unification Council and sabotage the cause of China’s reunification， and reiterating the Federation’s solemn stance of resolutely supporting “one China”. LACCFF President Penfold said that he himself would bring the resolution to Beijing and hand it personally to Cheng Siwei， president of the China-Latin America Friendship Association (CLAFA).

On March 9， the Chinese Embassy in Bolivia held a reception in celebration of the convening of the meeting. In his warm speech at the reception， Ambassador Zhao Wuyi said， the Chinese Government and people highly appraise the valuable efforts and outstanding contributions made by friendly personages in various Latin American and Caribbean countries to promoting friendly exchanges， mutual understanding and state relations. He wished that the cause of Sino-Latin American friendship last forever and bear richer fruits through the concerted efforts. Ambassador Zhao， on behalf of the CPAFFC， read out the message of congratulations.

On March 10， the Cochabamba Municipal Government held a banquet in honour of the Chinese delegation. Mayor Alcalde Terceros announced that Ambassador Zhao Wuyi and Ambassador Tang Mingxin who attended the meeting were conferred upon the title of honorary citizens of his city and said sincerely that Cochabamba was willing to make all efforts to promote Bolivia-China friendly relations.

Tang Mingxin， former Chinese ambassador to Bolivia and currently vice president and secretary general of the Association of Former Diplomats of China and council member of the CLAFA， was invited to lead a Chinese delegation of entrepreneurs to attend the meeting. At the banquet， Tang Mingxin gave a warm speech. He said， after the founding of the PRC， with the care and great enthusiasm given by several generations of the Chinese leaders and through persistent efforts made by many personages of insight in Latin American and Caribbean countries， the cause of Sino-Latin American friendship is in full bloom today. Let us make joint efforts and hand-in-hand advance together toward brighter future of Sino-Latin American friendship.