Major Foreign Affairs Institutions and Organizations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Foreign Ministry is in charge of relations with other countries and consular and overseas Chinese affairs. There are foreign affairs offices in each province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the Central Government, responsible for handling foreign-related affairs in those localities under the leadership of the Foreign Ministry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up commissioners’ offices in the special administrative regions. Such offices shall handle foreign affairs managed by the Central Government and related to special administrative regions, and serve as the channels of contact between the special administrative regional governments and the Central Government on such foreign affairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is Li Zhaoxing, a graduate of the prestigious PekingUniversity and former ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations.
Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
Founded in May 1954, it seeks to promote friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese people and other peoples throughout the world. Representing the Chinese people, it makes contacts and promotes exchanges with friendly organizations and people all over the globe. This work allows it to serve as a link in the friendly relations between the Chinese people and the people of the rest of the world. The Association has branches in all China’s provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.
The current president of the Association is Chen Haosu, a graduate from the ChineseUniversity of Science and Technology. He also is President of the China International Friendship Cities Association, President of the China-Russia Friendship Association, and President of the China-EU Association.
Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs
Founded in December 1949, this institution focuses on international issues and foreign policy research, aiming to conduct international exchanges and expand people-to-people diplomatic activities, thus working to enhance friendship between the Chinese people and the people of other nations, promote the development of China’s international relations and contribute to the cause of world peace. The Institute works to establish contacts with political activists, diplomats and other distinguished individuals in other countries, along with organizations and scholars researching international issues. It organizes and participates in a variety of public lectures and symposiums on academic subjects, and various other activities geared to the exploration of international affairs and exchanges of ideas. In November 2002, the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs helped sponsor the two-day Fifth Europe Asia Forum, with the theme of “China and Europe amid Global Competition,” concluded at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Political personages, businesspeople, experts and scholars from China and European countries discussed challenges facing both regions, economic reform, political and economic collaboration between China and Europe, and other issues. Participants were optimistic about the bright prospects for Sino-European ties and predicted a wider scope for bilateral cooperation in the future. The forum was presided over by CPIFA President Mei Zhaorong and Horst Telpschik, president of BMW’s Herbert Quandt Stiftung Foundation and initiator of the roundtable conference.
