China Media Group interviews CPAFFC President Lin Songtian on major country diplomacy

Chen Ke

O n Dec 24， Lin Songtian， president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， gave an exclusive interview to China Media Group on the topic of major country diplomacy. He shared his opinions on the glorious history of people-to-people diplomacy， the situation and challenges the association faces， the highlights of this year’s work and prospects for the year ahead.

Lin noted that people-to-people diplomacy in New China has a glorious history. The Communist Party of China has always attached great importance to people-to-people diplomacy. On the second day after the PRC was founded， the China Committee for Safeguarding World Peace， one of the association’s predecessors， was established， marking the beginning of New China’s peopleto-people diplomacy.

As countries in Asia， Africa and Latin America gained national independence and liberation one by one， the number of people-to-people diplomatic organizations in China increased. In 1969， Premier Zhou Enlai proposed that “there should be a people’s diplomacy service to coordinate the diplo- matic activities of people-to-people organizations and set up a channel for people’s diplomacy”.

Responding to the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee， the association officially changed its name to Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. In the difficult time of New China’s official diplomacy， the association coordinated and carried out a series of major people-to-people diplomatic activities to win extensive understanding and support from countries in Asia， Africa and Latin America and maintain China-Soviet Union and China-Russia friendly relations. It played an irreplaceable role in promoting the normalization of China-Japan relations， establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States and in China’s reform and opening-up. It has made important historical contributions to breaking Western blockades， opening up new prospects in China’s diplomacy and advancing China’s reform， opening-up and modernization drives.

Lin said， people-to-people diplomacy has ushered in new opportunities in the new era.

First， the CPC Central Committee has expectations. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to people-to-people diplomacy and has given a series of important instructions and comments pointing the direction and giving fundamental guidance for the association to carry out people-topeople diplomacy in the new era.

Second， the situation calls for it. As China continues to develop rapidly， the governments and people of Western developed countries are not well prepared [for the change] in terms of ideology， theory and psychology. Under the malicious smears and suppression of China by two US administrations， public opinion in Western developed countries has turned against China. Although public opinion in the US and the West does not represent the mainstream of world public opinion， it is urgent for us to effectively translate our advantages in foreign exchanges and economic， trade and cultural cooperation into friendly international public opinion and the fostering of a social foundation friendly toward China.

Third， reality provides conditions. In the face of changes unseen in a century and the pandemic， social stability in China and disorder in the West has become a global reality. “Looking east”and “the East rising while the West falling” have become global trends. The situation fully demonstrates the CPC’s capability for governance and China’s advantages in its political system and culture. Since we have the ability to build the country well， we can also tell China’s story well and promote amity and mutual understanding between the people of China and the rest of the world for common development.

Lin said that in 2021 the association followed Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and studied and understood the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important remarks on peopleto-people diplomacy. It actively transformed itself from practitioner to planner and trendsetter. It led friendship associations at the local government level to carry out a series of practical explorations and achieved positive results.

First， the association plays a key role in leading people-to-people diplomacy. It has collected and sorted out General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important remarks on people-to-people diplomacy， completed an overall framework design for the association’s foreignoriented work and finished the fiveyear work plan for the association.

Second， the association serves as a mainstay in China’s public diplomacy. Themed with the CPC’s centennial， it has inherited and carried forward the spirit of internationalism. It has organized high-level dialogue mechanisms and platforms for people-to-people diplomacy， including the 2021 Imperial Springs International Forum and the Global CEO Council Dialogue， among others. It has launched a number of brand-establishing activities such as“China in My Eyes” and created a forum on win-win cooperation and common development. It has resumed CPAFFC Friendship Day. All of these activities have been held either online or on site.

The association has communicated with foreign media outlets in China and worked hard to overcome the “four conundrums” in telling China stories. The conundrums refer to the difficulties involved in one’s efforts to tell the truth about China —namely where to tell， who tells， who listens and how to convince.

Third， the association actively promotes exchanges between Chinese and foreign local governments. It has strengthened guidance， coordination， management and services for friendship cities across the country to make friendship cities a window for local governments to open up to the outside world， a vehicle for local exchanges and cooperation and a benchmark for testing the degree of internationalization of local governments. It helps form a new situation in which people-to-people exchanges enhance official relations， and in which local government’s exchanges with the outside world promote central government exchanges.

Lin said that this year the association will continue following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy， thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important remarks on people-to-people diplomacy， and strive to do a good job in the “Five Ones” as follows：

First， we need to build a consensus. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy， we need to encourage the international community to come to the broadest possible consensus on building a community with a shared future for mankind and hold high the banner of human development.

Second， we need to build a spiritual bond. That is， taking Confucianism as a spiritual bond to enhance cultural identity and create a Confucian cultural circle.

Third， we need to grasp the theme of our times， which is to uphold justice， implement the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative and work together to advocate peace， development， cooperation and mutual benefit for all.

Fourth， we need to ensure the success of the forum on win-win cooperation and common development — that is， to denounce the Cold War mentality of “you lose， I win” and zero-sum games， and encourage the international community to join us in pursuing peace and win-win progress in the new era.

Fifth， we need to build a series of brand activities and demonstration sites of friendship and cooperation with China. This means strengthening brand activities such as “China in my Eyes”and jointly building demonstration sites in countries friendly toward China in Asia， Africa， Latin America and Europe along the Belt and Road.

The foregoing interview was broadcast by Voice of China （China Media Group）， with a shortened version of around six minutes at noon on Dec 26 （Beijing FM106.1）， and a full version of around 15 minutes on major country diplomacy in the afternoon.