CLACFA—50 Years’ Glorious History

TThroughout a turbulent 50-year period in world developments， the China-Latin America and the Caribbean Friendship Association (CLACFA) shines out as a beacon of hope， having contributed much to the history of the people-to-people diplomacy of New China. It was appropriate， therefore， to choose a moment when Spring was coaxing out the first flowers of the year， to celebrate the 50th anniversary on March 15， with not only a normal Council Meeting of the CLACFA but also a commemorative event at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Beijing.

Council members from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs， the International Department of the CPC Central Committee， the Ministry of Culture， Tsinghua University， China.com.cn.， China CAMC Engineering Co.， Ltd.， and other provincial and municipal organizations for friendship with foreign countries， totaling about 60 people of more than 50 units， were present.

Cheng Siwei， former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and CLACFA President， and Li Xiaolin， Vice President of the CPAFFC， delivered major speeches on the occasion， and Secretary General Wang Hongqiang read a work report on behalf of the CLACFA to the Council.

In her speech， Vice President Li Xiaolin said that， for 50 years the CLACFA had closely adhered to its aim of promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and the people of Latin America and the Caribbean region， expanding bilateral exchanges and cooperation， and enhancing common development.

Through exchanging delegations， holding different kinds of cultural， economic and trade symposiums， and pushing forward exchanges between local governments， the CLACFA had made unremitting efforts to deepening mutual understanding and friendship as well as promoting cooperation in various fields of politics， economy and culture and among local governments. She expressed sincere gratitude to the institutional council members and friends of the CLACFA for their long-time support and assistance.

Talking of this year’s work plan， Vice President Li said that 2010 was an important year to the CLACFA. During the short period of little more than a month before the Chinese Spring Festival， celebrations had been held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ecuador， the fifth anniversary of the restoration of the diplomatic relations between China and Grenada， and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Colombia. It had also hosted a lunch reception to welcome the visiting Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding and his party， received a delegation from Honduras， and made a donation of 100，000 yuan each to the earthquake-hit countries of Haiti and Chile for their reconstruction. Later in the year， more commemorative events would be held to mark the anniversaries of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and other Latin American countries. Large-scale conferences would be held， including the China-Mexico non-governmental economic and trade forum， the China-Central Latin America non-governmental economic and trade cooperation forum， and the China-Latin America friendship cities forum. Delegations would visit various Latin American and the Caribbean countries.

During a free discussion， council members representing the educational， academic， art and business circles and the media， as well as local friendship-with-foreign-coutries associations offered suggestions and advice on the function of the Council and ways to further enhance exchanges and cooperation. The discussion was very lively， with bursts of laughter and applause for the brilliant remarks made by the participants.

In the evening， the CLACFA hosted a banquet for council members and diplomats of Latin American embassies. It also conferred the China-Latin America Friendship Medal on Guillermo R. Velez Londono， Colombian Ambassador and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps of Latin American and Caribbean Countries in China， for his great contributions to the cause of Sino-Latin American friendship.