ＣＰＡＦＦＣ ａｎｄ ＣＲＦＡ Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ Ａｔｔｅｎｄｓ ｃｅｌｅｂｒａｔｉｏｎｓ ｏｆ ５０ｔｈ Ａｎｎｉｖｅｒｓａｒｙ ｏｆ Ｒｕｓｓｉａ－Ｃｈｉｎａ Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ Ａｓｓｏｃ

Ｃｈｅｎ　Ｌｅｉ

Invited by the Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA), the delegation of the CPAFFC and the China-Russia Friendship Association (CRFA) led by CPAFFC President Chen Haosu paid a visit to Russia to attend the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the RCFA from October 21 to 28, 2007. The delegation included Liu Shu, former vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology; Zhu Jiamu, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); Yu Rongren, president of the Hangzhou Municipal Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Gao Mang, adviser to the CRFA, well-known translator of Russian literature and painter; and Li Min, daughter of Chairman Mao Zedong. The visit was a part of the activities of the Year of China in Russia.

The meeting in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the RCFA was held at the auditorium of the Russian State Social University (RSSU) on October 23. Present at the meeting were Academician S. L. Tikhvinsky, honorary president of the RCFA; Academician Mikhail Titarenko, president of the RCFA and director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Galina Kulikova, first vice president of the RCFA; Igor A. Rogachev, vice president of the RCFA, member of the Federation Council and former Russian ambassador to China; Academician V. Rukov，vice president of the RCFA and rector of the RSSU; other leading members and council members of the RCFA, leading members of its local branches, Russian veterans and representatives from all walks of life in Moscow, totaling more than 400. All members of the CPAFFC and the CRFA delegation, Charge dAffaires ad Interim Li Huilai and other diplomats of the Chinese Embassy in Russia attended the meeting.

In his letter of congratulations to the meeting, Russian President Putin said, “Over the years, activists of the Russia-China Friendship Association have made very fruitful contributions to enhancing mutual understanding and overall cooperation between Russia and its great neighbour China. It is of essential significance to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the RCFA as activities of the Year of China are booming in Russia.”

In his congratulatory letter, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that the RCFA had made “important and valuable” contributions to the activities of the Year of Russia and of China. He hoped the RCFA would continue its efforts in the coming Year of the Russian Language in 2009, and Year of the Chinese Language in 2010.

Russian Ambassador to China Sergey Razov and Chinese Ambassador to Russia Liu Guchang also sent their letters of congratulations on the occasion.

RCFA President Titarenko made a long speech, reviewing the development of the RCFA in the past 50 years. He pointed out, through all different historical periods since 1957 when the RCFA (successor to the former Soviet-Chinese Friendship Association) was founded, the organization, by uniting a great number of personages of various circles in the Soviet Union and Russia and closely cooperating with the CPAFFC and the CRFA, has constantly consolidated the traditional friendship between the two peoples and played an active role in promoting the development of relations, the normalization of diplomatic ties and the establishment of the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between our two countries. Even at times when bilateral relations were deteriorating, the RCFA did not stop its unswerving efforts. With its hard work over the past 50 years, the RCFA has gained praise from all circles and high reputation at home and abroad.

In their speeches, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu and CRFA Vice President Zhu Jiamu extended congratulations on the 50th anniversary of RCFA. Chen said, in his Report to the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Chinas development in the coming five years, Chinese President Hu Jintao emphasized the concept of building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity and attached great importance to good-neighbourly friendship and cooperation between China and Russia. Zhu Jiamu briefed about the exchanges between the circles of social sciences of the two countries and expressed his hope to “strengthen exchanges between young scholars of the two countries”. Charge dAffaires ad Interim Li Huilai also made a speech.

In recognition of their outstanding contributions to Sino-Russian friendship, Chen Haosu conferred the title of Friendship Ambassador on S. L. Tikhvinsky, M. Titarenko, G. V. Kulikova, Igor Ivanov and O. Kriuchkova, and presented them certificates at the meeting. RCFA President Titarenko awarded the Medal of Contributions to Russia-China Friendship to 6 Chinese including Chen Haosu, Liu Shu, Zhu Jiamu, and Gao Mang. Chen Haosu and Zhu Jiamu were also conferred the title of Honorary Academician by the Russian Academy of Social Sciences.

After the meeting, the art troupe of the RSSU gave wonderful performances. The students sang in Chinese the Chinese national anthem March of the Volunteers and the song Night at the Suburbs of Moscow, winning warm acclaim from all present.

On October 24, the delegation attended the opening ceremony of the Exhibition of Paintings by Gao Mang held at the Ostrovsky Museum. Over 50 paintings of Russian literary masters such as Alexander Pushkin aroused immense interest of Russian mass media and visitors. CRFA Vice Presidents Liu Shu and Zhu Jiamu and Head of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the CASS Xing Guangcheng delivered lectures at the symposium on personnel training in social sciences held by the RSSU.

At the Academic Degree Evaluation and Academic Committee Meeting held by the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences on October 24, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu was conferred upon the honorary Ph.D. degree. In his speech at the meeting, Chen Haosu elaborated on the historical and social significance of Chinas peaceful development and briefed about the great achievements of the Seventeenth National Congress of the CPC. He pledged, he would devote all energy of his life to the cause of friendship and academic exchanges between China and Russia.

S. Orlova, vice chairperson of the Federation Council met with Li Min in Moscow. She expressed her high respect for Chairman Mao Zedong and said she was greatly pleased to meet his offspring. Li Min recalled her years in the Soviet Union when she studied and lived there, and expressed her best wishes to the Russian people and President Putin.

The delegation also visited St. Petersburg.