Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
中国人民对外友好协会
AbbreviationCPAFFC
FormationMay 1954; 70 years ago (1954-05)
Founded atBeijing
TypePeople's organization
Headquarters1 Taijichang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Chair
Yang Wanming
Parent organization
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
SubsidiariesChina Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development
AffiliationsChinese Communist Party
Websitewww.cpaffc.org.cn Edit this at Wikidata
Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
Simplified Chinese中国人民对外友好协会
Traditional Chinese中國人民對外友好協會
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōngguó Rénmíng Duìwài Yǒuhǎo Xiéhuì
Abbreviation
Simplified Chinese对外友协
Traditional Chinese對外友協
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDuìwài Yǒuxié

The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is one of the major foreign affairs organizations of the People's Republic of China. The organization is officially termed a "people's organization" and manages China's sister city relationships.[1][2] Its stated aim is to promote friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese people and foreign nations but observers have pointed out that it functions as a front organization in the united front system used to influence and co-opt elites to promote the interests of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while downplaying its association with the CCP.[3][4][5][6]

The CPAFFC was founded in May 1954 to promote civic exchanges with countries that did not have diplomatic relations with the PRC.[7] The CPAFFC has been described as the "public face" of the CCP's United Front Work Department.[8] Its leadership is drawn from the upper ranks of the Chinese Communist Party and, as part of the United Front Work Department, it has as its goal "to make the foreign serve China" (Chinese: 洋为中用; pinyin: yáng wéi Zhōng yòng; lit. 'overseas become China use').[9] The CPAFFC sponsors and coordinates various front organizations and influence operations in other countries at the national and sub-national level.[6][10]

  1. ^ Lomová, Olga; Lulu, Jichang; Hála, Martin (2019-07-28). "Bilateral dialogue with the PRC at both ends: Czech-Chinese "friendship" extends to social credit". Sinopsis. Archived from the original on 2020-05-04. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  2. ^ Quinn, Jimmy (2024-08-13). "Chinese 'Friendship' Group Ramps Up U.S. Outreach with Government Blessing, Despite Intel Warning". National Review. Archived from the original on 13 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  3. ^ Sullivan, Lawrence R. (2018-09-18). Historical Dictionary of Chinese Foreign Affairs. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-5381-1162-8. Archived from the original on 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  4. ^ Lulu, Jichang (2019-11-26). "Repurposing democracy: The European Parliament China Friendship Cluster". Sinopsis. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  5. ^ Mudie, Luisetta (2020-07-17). "Book, Report Spark Concern Over China's UK Elite Influence Operations". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  6. ^ a b Yoshihara, Toshi; Bianchi, Jack (July 1, 2020). "Uncovering China's Influence in Europe: How Friendship Groups Coopt European Elites". Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  7. ^ Dotson, John (June 26, 2019). "China Explores Economic Outreach to U.S. States Via United Front Entities". Jamestown Foundation. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  8. ^ Diamond, Larry; Schell, Orville (2019-08-01). China's Influence and American Interests: Promoting Constructive Vigilance (PDF). Hoover Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-8179-2286-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  9. ^ Brady, Anne-Marie (2003). Making the Foreign Serve China: Managing Foreigners in the People's Republic. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 90–91. doi:10.25911/5d5fccdac8aba. hdl:1885/147629. ISBN 0742518612. OCLC 52595251.
  10. ^ Mudie, Luisetta, ed. (August 6, 2020). "China Uses 'Friendship Associations' to Extend Influence Among Overseas Elites: Report". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.