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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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Sylvie Zhuangin Beijing
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.
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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.
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