Latin America expert takes over as head of Chinese friendship association

Veteran diplomat Yang Wanming is the new chief of the CPAFFC, whose mission is to expand friendly exchanges with other countries

It has played a role in efforts to improve US ties and the appointment comes as China is seeking closer relations in Latin America

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Yang Wanming is the new president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. He has served as China’s envoy to Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Photo: Handout

Published: 9:00am, 24 Aug 2023Updated: 6:57pm, 4 Sep 2023

Corrected [6:20pm, 4 Sep, 2023]

[6:20pm, 4 Sep, 2023]
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the former CPAFFC chief was Li Xiaolin, daughter of ex-premier Li Peng. The position was held by Li Xiaolin, the daughter of former president Li Xiannian.

A seasoned Chinese diplomat with a focus on Latin America is the new chief of a semi-official body tasked with promoting people-to-people exchanges with other nations.

Yang Wanming, 59, was introduced as president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) at a gathering it hosted on Monday.

He was attending the opening ceremony of a five-day event aimed at boosting youth exchanges between China and Russia, according to a post published on the association’s WeChat account on Tuesday.

Yang has replaced Lin Songtian, a veteran diplomat and Africa expert who had been president of the association since 2020.

The CPAFFC is a semi-official association whose mission – to expand friendly exchanges between China and other countries – is also part of Beijing’s broader diplomatic strategy.

It has played a role in efforts to improve ties with the United States through people-to-people exchanges at a time when Beijing and Washington are at loggerheads over many issues, from trade and technology to the South China Sea and Taiwan.