Friendship association head calls for exchanges

China's diplomacy in the new era will encompass all dimensions, and its people-to-people exchanges with different nations will embrace fresh opportunities, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries President Lin Songtian said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China said the report Xi Jinping delivered at the congress' opening has again outlined efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

In regard to building a community with a shared future for mankind, China has the plan, the resolve and a strong sense of responsibility, he said.

Lin said China's people-to-people diplomacy is built on a solid foundation. He recalled the efforts that facilitated the establishment of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Washington and between Beijing and Tokyo in the 1970s, including ping-pong diplomacy.

Even with the pandemic severely disrupting in-person people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, Lin said people from the two countries share the same wish for a world of peace, friendship and win-win cooperation.

"We hope that people-to-people diplomacy can play a greater role in enhancing the friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and the world in the post-pandemic era," he said.

Talking about the future of China-Japan friendship, the veteran diplomat said history and reality suggest the two countries' peoples can respect each other, get along peacefully, engage in win-win cooperation and seek common development.

China-Japan relations currently feature the closest people-to-people exchanges in the widest-ranging areas, as well as the deepest degrees of trade and economic integration, he said.

As neighboring nations, their only choice is to share respect and appreciation for each other and their respective cultural and development strengths, he said.

Lin emphasized that further growth in bilateral ties would benefit both nations' interests, as the two economies are highly complementary.

"It is my belief that people from the two nations can work together to make new strides toward a new journey and secure new development," he said.

He also highlighted the need for China and the Republic of Korea to step up unity and cooperation to safeguard regional stability, growth and prosperity.

Lin added that the friendship association will place greater emphasis on enhancing people-to-people ties with Central Asian countries, including efforts to promote friendships between cities and to develop more cooperation platforms.