At the invitation of Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Foundation of Russia (the Foundation) and Institute of Romanian Participatory Democracy, a four-member delegation sent by the Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU), headed by Deputy Secretary-General Zheng Yao, visited Russia and Romania during June 28 and July 5.

 

The first stop of this tour was Moscow and the first official activity of the delegation was visiting Institute of Far East of Russia Academy of Sciences (IFES-RAS). However, the weather wasn’t cooperating: a sudden rainstorm in Beijing narrowly made the visit cancelled. Due to flight delay, when the plane arrived in Moscow, the scheduled meeting time had passed. We hurried to give phone call to the Russian side to make apology and explanation. People who were waiting to receive us include Doctor Andre Ostrovsky, Deputy Director of Center of Chinese Economy and Society of IFES-RAS and Mrs Elena Bagenova, Senior Scholar of Center of Contemporary Chinese Culture and Politics, both of whom once visited China at the invitation of CAFIU. They agreed to postpone the meeting and wait for us. We were deeply moved and warmed, therefore, despite we’d waited and flied for nearly 18 hours, we straightly hurried to the meeting.

 

As we were old friends with our Russian hosts, the atmosphere of the meeting was very intimate. In the meeting, Deputy Secretary-General Zheng Yao introduced to the Russian friends recent work done by CAFIU and our ideas in carrying out people-to-people exchange with Russia. Doctor Andre Ostrovsky expressed his confidence on the future prospects of Chinese economy and believed that China will realize its stated objective of finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. Ostrovsky believed that the debt level of China remained at a safe level and there was no need to worry about it too much. As a window opening up to the outside world in Southern China and an important center for scientific innovation and technological development, the Pearl River Delta is an important engine driving Chinese economic development and a region with the large participation extent in economic globalization. The huge potential and strong vitality of this region will impose great eradicative effects on China and its neighboring countries, thus enhancing and driving the development of the whole country.

 

On June 29, we visited Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Foundation in due course and attended a symposium with celebrated Russian scholars invited by the Foundation. Russian experts introduced the status quo of Russian NGOs and offered their suggestions on further strengthening people-to-people exchange between two countries. Meeting Executive Vice-President Grejenin again reminded me the first time I met him in his temporary office in Russia two years ago. At that time, it was the first contact between the two organizations and now the Foundation has moved into a quiet and beautiful yard. To our surprise, we met many of our young friends who once visited China at the invitation of CAFIU in the past two years. Deputy Secretary-General Zheng Yao said that the highly political mutual trust built by leaders of both countries in the past years laid a solid foundation and created huge development potential for the exchange and cooperation between NGOs of two countries. The Foundation and CAFIU should take this opportunity to strengthen exchange and cooperation so as to enhance mutual understanding between people of two countries and make new contribution to the further development of bilateral relations.

 

Executive Vice-President Grejenin expressed his appreciation to CAFIU for the efforts it made for China-Russia cooperation. “Currently, China-Russia relations are in one of the best periods in history. With the rapid development of Chinese economy and continuous improvement of comprehensive national strength, the interest of Russian people in China is surging while their sources of obtaining China-related information were very limited. The authenticity of the information they contacted was difficult to verify. Therefore, the information is far from meeting the need of the Russian society. In recent years, the Foundation has set cooperation with China the priority of its job and viewed CAFIU one of the most reliable partners in China. In the future, the Foundation will strengthen cooperation and exchange with CAFIU in the fields of culture and social organizations, for instance, via cooperating projects like academic seminars, provide platforms for scholars and young students of two countries to exchange ideas and thoughts, thus strengthening mutual understanding and friendship”, said Grejenin. He believed that, faced with changing global political and economic pattern, Russia and China should express themselves more confidently and contribute their wisdom and strength to this process.

 

During our visit in Russia, we also conducted exchange and symposiums with professors and students from Institute of Philosophy of Russia Academy of Sciences, State Academic University for Humanities and Sciences, National Research University-Higher School of Economics, Russian State University of Hydrology. In the above places, we were warmly received by Russian hosts. What impressed us most was the willingness and enthusiasm of Russian young students in learning about China, Chinese and Chinese culture. When we visited Institute of Philosophy of Russia Academy of Sciences and State Academic University for Humanities and Sciences, it was the exam period of these universities and some unexpected conditions occurred, the hosts changed the meeting place temporarily. Despite the long distance from original meeting place to the new one, many students overcame the difficulties and attended the meeting on time, which deeply moved us. Pavier Purilipski, student and responsible person of club of political analysis, not only arranged the meeting for us, but also drafted English speech introducing the situation of his mother university. Fuming Nilov, Executive President of State Academic University for Humanities and Sciences, told us that the national emblem of Russia was a double-headed eagle. While in history, Russia paid far more attention to the West than to the East. Only in the recent 20 years did Russia pay balanced attention to both the East and the West, thus uncovering the invisible mask on the eyes of the eagle head in the east side. Currently, in each major of this university, there are students who are willing to learn Chinese language and culture, with the hope of having opportunity to study in China. Researchers of these universities were also with high expectations for the cooperation with China.

 

When we arrived in St. Petersburg, students of National Research University-Higher School of Economics have just begun their holidays. Zelenev, Director of Research Department of Asian and African Affairs of this university, together with his colleagues, warmly welcomed us. Zelenev told us proudly that there are more than 100 students in his university who are learning Chinese. There was already one Confucius Institute in St. Petersburg. Despite of the convention of opening only one Confucius Institute in each city, the university is still willing to apply to establish another Confucius Institute. Professors and students of State Academic University for Humanities and Sciences were also willing to establish contacts with Chinese universities and conduct academic exchange and cooperation. In Russia, we not only met with many old friends, but also made many new friends. We believe that these young students will become new forces driving the development of China-Russia friendship.

Romania, located in Central Eastern Europe, was a country very close to the heart of the Chinese people. However, before last year, there was no contact between CAFIU and NGOs of Romania. Nastase, former Romanian Premier and now the President of Titulesku Foundation, was among the new friends we made during this tour. He not only offered us his academic publications, but also gave Deputy Secretary-General Zheng Yao a medal signifying the friendship between both countries and both organizations. Doru Francesco, President of Institute of Romanian Participatory Democracy, was based in Brussels, and he made a special tour to meet us in Romania. Manuela Katrina and Dobre, respectively Executive President and Secretary-General of Sika Social Democratic Institute, talked with us on the future cooperation between our organizations. They said that they are willing to conduct exchange and cooperation with China with a friendly and open mind, and become a partner of CAFIU in Romania and Europe as well as a contributor of the “Belt and Road”. Marian Tata, President of Society of Democratic Campaigning introduced to us the efforts made by her organization in promoting NGO capacity building, contributing to the democratization process of Romania, supervising elections at local and national levels since the establishment of her organization in early 1990s.

During our visit, it was on the eve of reaching its verdict by the Hague Tribunal on the so-called South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by Manila, and therefore the South China Sea issue naturally became a focal point of our discussion. Many people from both countries expressed the idea that promoting the development of the South China Sea region is becoming more and more important and the best method of resolving territorial disputes was direct negotiation and consultation between parties involved. They hoped that the South China Sea issue will be properly handled in a friendly manner, which not only went in line with the interests of all related parties, but also conformed with the common interests of the international community. Some scholars directly pointed out that the South China Sea issue was deliberately made and exaggerated by the United States for causing political tensions in this region for the purpose to put pressure on China. In addition, by establishing trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific partnership, the United States also scheme to curb the economic development of China.

 

On July 4, bringing with the friendship and wishes of friends of Russia and Romania, we boarded on flight to China. The warming scenes during our tour re-emerged before our eyes and in our minds. We believed that, in spite of the long distance between China and these two countries, our sincere exchange and communication are strong enough to fill the gap between us in terms of time and space, and enhance the friendship and understanding between us.