Inauguration Ceremony of the Wu Jianmin Foundation Successfully Concluded

On the morning of March 30, 2017, the inauguration ceremony of Wu Jianmin Foundation was held in Beijing. Nearly 200 representatives from all walks of life and the relatives of Ambassador Wu attended the ceremony, including Zhu Liang, former Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Zhao Qizheng, former Director of the State Council Information Office Shi Yanhua, Chairman of the WJF and Ambassador Wu's wife, Zhou Wenzhong, Secretary General of the Boao Forum for Asia, General Chen Xiaogong, deputy commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), Sha Zukang, former UN Under-Secretary-General, Ma Weihua, former Governor of China Merchants Bank, Tang Wensheng, former Vice Chairwoman of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Zhou Mingwei, former President of China International Publishing Group (CIPG), Han Zhiqiang, Director-General of the MFA General Office, Huang Youyi, former vice-president of CIPG, Wang Huiyao, Counsellor of the State Council and Director of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), and Qin Yaqing, President of China Foreign Affairs University.

The inauguration ceremony was chaired by WJF Secretary-General Feng Wei:

Today we gather here to commemorate Ambassador Wu's diplomatic achievements and witness a new beginning—the birth of Wu Jianmin Foundation (WJF). This day marks Ambassador Wu's birthday. From now on, it will be the birthday of the WJF. As a famous poem says, some one is dead, but he is still alive. This can be the epitaph for Ambassador Wu, an excellent representative of China's diplomats. Although he left us, his spirit and style will last forever. The Foundation is such a platform to inherit and carry forward the spiritual legacy of Wu Jianmin.

As a distinguished guest invited to the ceremony, Zhu Liang, 93 years old, is former Minister of the CPCCC International Department, who first guided Ambassador Wu Jianmin to the brilliant diplomatic career, and also the very person who recommended Mr. Wu to the CPC membership more than half a century ago. The attendants showed their high respect to Mr. Zhu.

Chairman Wu Jiansheng delivered a welcome speech:

Wu Jianmin Foundation is still in its infancy. It is like a seedling just breaking out of the ground, and needs fertilizer, water and care from all of us. My colleagues in the Council and the Secretariat are determined to run the foundation well under the guidance of Director Zhao, Ambassador Shi and the consultants, and keep the Foundation growing and thriving with the support of friends from all walks of life.

Former Minister of the CPCCC International Department Zhu Liang, Honorary Chairman Zhao Qizheng, Director-General of the MFA General Office Han Zhiqiang, and Chairman Shi Yanhua unveiled the Wu Jianmin Foundation.

Chen Zhu and Xu Jialu, Vice Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee, , Jean Pierre Raffarin, former French Prime Minister, and Vicente Loscertales, Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) respectively sent a letter of congratulations on the inception of the Wu Jianmin Foundation.

Zhang Mingjie, Under-Secretary-General of the WRSA, read out the congratulatory letter of Vice Chairperson Chen Zhu.

Mr. Chen writes as follows

Ambassador Wu’s contributions to China’s diplomacy are worth remembering and admiring, and his philosophy of peaceful development shall be inherited and carried forward. The inauguration of Beijing Wu Jianmin Foundation on his birthday is our best commemoration of Ambassador Wu.

Ambassador Gong Yuanxing, WJF Vice President, read out the congratulatory letters of former French PM Raffarin and BIE Secretary-General Loscertales.

Mr. Raffarin writes as follows:

Ambassador Wu was very familiar with France and well-versed in the French language. He had been committed to the development of relations between the two countries and their peoples. When he was in duty in Paris, I served as French Prime Minister. I appreciate his excellent personality. We both shared the same aspirations, understood each other and respected each other. We reached many agreements in the long-term interests of both countries.

Mr. Loscertales writes as follows:

Ambassador Wu's efforts during his tenure as the chairman of the BIE proved highly fruitful. He relentlessly used international exhibitions as a unique platform for promoting global dialogue and multicultural exchanges. Today's world needs more than ever before the international dialogue advocated by Ambassador Wu.

Han Zhiqiang, Director-General of the MFA General Office delivered an address on behalf of the MFA:

Ambassador Wu was a deeply respected and loved leader and predecessor of the diplomatic community. He devoted his lifelong efforts and wisdom to the diplomatic undertaking of the motherland and devoted himself to the cause of world progress.

China's development cannot be separated from the peace and stability of the world. Today, China's communication, exchanges and cooperation with other countries are unprecedentedly active. This endeavor requires the extensive engagement of our society as a whole, and we need to constantly add new impetus and vitality to it. Wu Jianmin Foundation is set up at the right time. We sincerely expect and believe that the Foundation will play an important role in public welfare undertakings and exchanges between China and foreign countries, making vital contributions while growing and prospering constantly in the process.

Speech by Honorary Chairman Zhao Qizheng:

Jianmin and I are peers. What have we been doing? It is just one thing: to serve China's diplomacy, to cooperate with government diplomacy, and to promote and practice our independent foreign policy of peace from the perspective of public diplomacy. Ambassador Wu also had a desire to cultivate young people and pool more reserve talents for Chinese diplomacy. The establishment of the Foundation is a continuing effort in these aspects, so that Jianmin can feel at ease in the heaven.

Speech by Chairman Shi Yanhua:

Today marks Jianmin's 78th birthday, though unfortunately he failed to come and celebrate it with us. He once said that his physical condition would sustain him to at least 90 years old. He didn't make it, but I can say that he actually lived to that age because he spent 77 years doing what should have been done in 90 years.

I always asked Jianmin: Aren’t you feeling tired when you work so hard at such an old age? Jianmin always replied: I want to do more for our country! Today, Wu Jianmin Foundation is formally established. Surely, he is still able to do more for our motherland. And we will inherit his legacy and strive to do more for our country, too.

Speech by Senior Consultant Ma Weihua:

The establishment of WJF is the common wish of many entrepreneurs and people engaged in philanthropy. We are very happy to see the Foundation born on the birthday of Ambassador Wu. It has gained support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and people from all walks of life. As entrepreneurs we are also obliged to put our shoulder to the wheel.

Speech by CFAU President Qin Yaqing:

One of the important tasks of WJF is to pass on President Wu's diplomatic ideas and to contribute to cultivating the younger generation of practitioners in foreign affairs. In the future work, we will continue to support the work of the Foundation and expect fruitful cooperation in all aspects. We also ask President Wu to rest assured that we will do a good job in China's diplomatic education!

Afterwards, Honorary Chairman Zhao Qizheng, Chairman Shi Yanhua and President Wu Jiansheng issued letters of appointment to senior consultants and directors, and presented honorary certificates to the donating entities and individuals.

The Foundation signed a strategic cooperation agreement respectively with CFAU, Shanghai Education Development Foundation (SEDF) and the Chahar Institute.

Conclusion speech by Secretary General Feng Wei:

The conclusion of the terse inauguration ceremony today marks a new beginning. Inheriting the spiritual legacy of Ambassador Wu Jianmin is a glorious mission and an arduous task. The reason why we build this platform is not to commemorate Ambassador Wu Jianmin himself, but to promote the philosophy of China's peaceful development represented and advocated by him. We could not build this platform by relying solely on the small team of the WJF secretariat. Instead, we should embrace the like-minded people who are convinced by his philosophy, working together to make this platform better-established. We shall work together to build Wu Jianmin Foundation into a shared platform, on which all the Friends of Wu Jianmin can pool resources, discuss matters, and reach consensus for the peaceful development of China, and for the promotion of the community of common destiny for mankind advocated by Xi Jinping, general secretary of CPC Central Committee. Let’s work together on it!

At this point, the inauguration ceremony of Wu Jianmin Foundation came to a successful conclusion.