Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs

The Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) is a people's organization dedicated to promote people-to-people diplomacy.^[1]

Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs

中国人民外交学会
Formation	December 15, 1949; 75 years ago (1949-12-15)
Type	People's organization
Headquarters	71 Nanchizi Street, Dongcheng, Beijing
President	Wang Chao
Secretary-general	Yu Jinsong
Party Secretary	Zhou Haihong
Website	www.cpifa.org

Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs
Simplified Chinese	中国人民外交学会
Traditional Chinese	中國人民外交學會
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Rénmín Wàijiāo Xuéhuì

History

The institute was founded on 15 December 1949 in Beijing, shortly after the establishment of the People's Republic of China.^[2]

Between 1972 and 2002, the CPIFA hosted more than four thousand Americans in China.^[2]

Functions

The CPIFA has been described as a united front organization, and answers to the United Front Work Department.^[3] It is focused on international issues and research foreign policy. It also conducts exchanges with foreign officials and focuses on expanding people-to-people diplomatic activities. The CPIFA works to establish contacts with foreign political activists, diplomats, and other individuals and organizes public lectures and symposia on academic subjects and international policy affairs.^[2]

Organization

Internal organization

The institute has the following internal organization:^[4]

• Office
• Research Department
• Asia, Africa and Latin America Department
• Europe Department
• North America and Oceania Department
• Party Committee of the Office (Organization and Personnel Department)

Presidents

1. Zhang Xiruo (1949–1973)^[5]
2. Hao Deqing (1977–1983)
3. Han Nianlong (1983–1991)
4. Liu Shuqing (1991–1997)
5. Mei Zhaorong (1997–2003)
6. Lu Qiutian (2003–2006)
7. Yang Wenchang (2006–2016)
8. Wu Hailong (2016–2019)
9. Wang Chao (2019–)