The Forum on "Unforgettable Ambassador Wu" was successfully held in Beijing
On the afternoon of June 18, 2017, the forum titled "Unforgettable Ambassador Wu" was held in Beijing in memory of the first anniversary of the departure of Ambassador Wu Jianmin, a famous Chinese diplomat. The forum was co-sponsored by the Beijing Wu Jianmin Foundation, together with the China Democracy and Legal Publishing House and Foreign Languages Press. About 200 people were present at the forum, who are Ambassador Wu's friends and relatives, as well as representatives from all walks of life.
At the forum, more than 20 representatives from the diplomatic, academia, education, journalism, business and charity circles delivered speeches, including Zhao Qizheng, Honorary Chairman of the Wu Jianmin Foundation, and former Director of the State Council Information Office; Ambassador Shi Yanhua, Chairman of Wu Jianmin Foundation (WJF) and Ambassador Wu's wife; Long Yongtu, Senior Consultant of the WJF and former Secretary General of the Boao Forum; Tang Wensheng, former Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC); Liao Xiaoqi, former Deputy Minister of Commerce; Sha Zukang, former UN Under-Secretary-General: Wang Ronghua, former Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference; Major General Yao Yunzhu, Director of the China-US Defense Relations Center under the PLA Academy of Military Sciences; Shen Guofang, former Editor-in-Chief of the World Knowledge Publishing House; Qin Yaqing, President of China Foreign Affairs University; Wang Zhenyao, President of China Global Philanthropy Institute; Huang Renwei, former Deputy Dean of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences; and Bai Yansong, famous CCTV host. The attendants recalled Wu's distinguished diplomatic career and discussed issues such as how to further improve public diplomacy, carry forward the philosophy of China's peaceful development, oppose populism and call for love of our motherland and human kind in the new era.
Opening remark by WJF Secretary-General Feng Wei:
Today is the first anniversary of the melancholy pass-away of Ambassador Wu. We all gather here to commemorate his diplomatic achievements and discuss how we can inherit and carry forward his spirit so as to do a good job in public diplomacy in the new era, which I think will be the best commemoration of Ambassador Wu.
Keynote speech by Ambassador Shi Yanhua, WJF Chairman
Diplomacy was a lifelong mission for Wu Jianmin. In his last few years, he was very anxious about some of the paradoxes defaming China, on which he wrote several books. In particular, China has come to the center of the international arena. As Chinese, what should we do? How to be a citizen of a big country? When we sat at the dinner table or took a walk, he often told me that some things should never be done in this way or in that way, since Chairman Mao once said that China must be a strong and amiable country. How can we make the people of the world feel dear to China in its rise, given its large size? This is what all the Chinese people must strive for. Therefore, he proposed that being a Chinese citizen you should be modest, calm and rational. I agreed with him very much. Although China has become one of the major characters on the world arena, we as common people living in the second largest country should remain modest, keep on learning from others, ramin calm about others' criticisms, and think rationally about some issues. Only in this way can other peoples regard China as an amiable country. So, in commemorating him, everyone recalled his views on international affairs, and his ideas on how to improve the mentality of our fellow countrymen. Later, I was thinking about compiling these views and ideas into a book, called Unforgettable Wu Jianmin.
Introduction to Ambassador Wu's posthumous work Wu Jianmin Talks about Public Diplomacy by Liu Haitao, President and Editor-in-Chief of China Democracy and Legal Publishing House:
Ambassador Wu once said: "To introduce China to the world, what we should do is to clearly explain China's affairs to them, so that we will be able to win their understanding and support for China." How forceful and lofty the words are! Ambassador Wu has left us, though, his spirit remains, guiding us in the right direction. There is an ancient ideology of "three immortals," which includes expounding one's ideas in writing: "Longevity will be exhausted, and glory and pleasure will be ashes after death. The two will attack on time, but valuable words and works may last foreverAmbassador Wu "wrote himself into articles to produce an autobiography, which will be handed down from one generation to another even without government publicity efforts." This is his spirit, which is carried in the published book Wu Jianmin Talks about Public Diplomacy. The ideas expressed in the book will also be passed down. We are ready to work with people of vision and insights to spread Mr. Wu's spirit.
Famous host Bai Yansong as moderator of the forum:
This morning I covered more than half of the book Case Studies in Diplomacy. I feel that some values seem to be reassessed after Ambassador Wu's departure as I reread the book. It is a rare reading experience, especially when you are attached to many thoughts of Ambassador Wu beyond the book itself. My deepest impression can be concluded in a saying in Tao Te Ching: "Who thinks his great achievements poor shall find his vigour long endure. Its greatest purity seems to offend the eyes." Today I wish these words could be sent to Ambassador Wu. What is perfect often seems flawed. Mr. Wu's sudden departure is just like this. If you are noble and unsullied, you will be easily ignored, or even sometimes slurred. Isn't this a good comment on Mr. Wu? Today when we, his friends, talk about Ambassador Wu, we will not go astray so long as we focus on these two key points: his great achievements and great purity. His greatness lies in that he was a true patriot, for he lived up to his commitments. What is the ultimate purity reflected in him? He was a gentleman. Now I am fifty, and by this age I have found he was one of the few people that can be defined as "gentleman." Therefore, he was a patriotic gentleman.
Remark by Zhao Qizheng, Honorary Chairman of WJF:
It’s been a year since Ambassador Wu passed away, and why do we find him unforgettable? Because he left us his thoughts, works, courage, friendship, enthusiasm and even dedication. They constitute a cohesive force, which pulls us together here today to discuss how to carry on his legacy.
In his last decade, Ambassador Wu laid a solid foundation for advocating China's diplomatic course externally and internally.
Facing the new realities and new requirements both at home and abroad, President Xi stresses that China must stay firmly committed to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, and that its diplomatic work should take into account both the domestic and international situations and serve the two overarching priorities of development and security. Oriented to the recurring themes of peaceful development and national renewal, China's foreign policy should help foster a more favorable international environment for China's peaceful development and provide strong support for the Chinese dream of national rejuvination.
Wu Jianmin's domestic speeches and articles are focused on criticizing populism and narrow nationalist expressions and ideologies, such as the irresponsible claims on an inevitable battle between some two countries, and the misunderstandings or disagreements on China's commitment to its international obligations.
——His argument is accurate and straightforward, easy to understand and convincing with reason, thus proving very effective.
——His audience includes college students, entrepreneurs and TV viewers.
Wu Jianmin's public diplomacy illustrated a true China and its independent foreign policy of peaceful development.
I just attended the U.S.-China Think Tank Summit and returned last night, which gave me a deeper understanding of the necessity for public diplomacy.
——For example, we should make the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) better understood in a more persuasive way.
Kevin Rudd summarizes at the summit a few questions about the BRI: How is it three times bigger than the Marshall Plan? How will China respond to the geopolitical and geo-economic conditions along the route? This is your new "territory!" What about the financial service of the Initiative? How much will it cost? Is the Initiative managed by China or is it to be transferred to the home country or owned by China? How transparent will China's operations be? And what is the role of the United States? The United States will certainly continue to raise sharp questions.
It is a mission for the WJF to carry forward Mr. Wu's spirit and strive for a broader-based public understanding of and support for the CPC's diplomatic policy.
We need to inherit and innovate his thoughts in practice. I find my spirit willing despite my old age, and I look forward to some good news from you afterwards.
Speech by Long Yongtu, Senior Consultant of the WJF and former Secretary General of the Boao Forum:
I met Ambassador Wu during the most difficult time of China's WTO accession negotiations and we worked together in Geneva. The biggest issue at that time was to make a major strategic choice. It is known to all that WTO accession means separate negotiations with the hundreds of WTO members one by one. Influenced by conventional perspectives, we identified the strategy or policy to rely on the Third World, unite the Second World, and finally isolate and attack the United States. In preparing for negotiations, the overall guideline was to contract with the Third World first and the Second World next before the final showdown with the U.S.. However, the U.S., not afraid of isolation, just ignored our efforts. It was the Pakistani ambassador who gave us a hint, suggesting us to talk to the United States first. Since we launched the WTO accession campaign, we had only persuaded some twenty countries to contract with China in a decade, and what was the bottleneck? It was because the United States did not nod its head, and Europe didn’t, either, many Third World countries also waited to see. So, I discussed with Ambassador Wu on the need to disentangle the knot with the U.S.. Later we concentrated on negotiating with the Americans. Once the deal with the U.S. was made, contracting with other countries became a piece of cake. Therefore, now our diplomatic strategy is still all about catching a snake by the head and taking Sino-US relations as the top priority. This is one of the most important choices that should be made based on the international realities and the pragmatic interests of China.
Speech by Tang Wensheng, former Vice Chairman of the AFROC
I used to call him Xiaowu. We met when we were both new arrivals at the translation office as graduates. Many of his remarkable behaviors could date back to that time. He was a passionate, fearless young man.。As a new recruit who always asked questions, I was criticized by other older colleagues and asked to learn from Xiaowu, who completed all tasks without saying anything. This was one of his inherent or early acquired personality. He had been working for two years then and was more mature than us in addressing problems.
We lived in the same building. Every evening he accompanied Shi Yanhua, hand in hand for a walk. He walked backwards as an exercise. He was a person full of energy. One year ago, when informed of his sudden departure, I could not even believe my ears. However, with so many friends remembering his face and voice as well as his spirit, I am confident that we will continue to carry forward his legacy.
Speech by Wang Ronghua, former Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference
On March 30th this year, I wrote a reminiscence article Wu Jianmin, a Good Teacher and a Helpful Friend, in which I used facts, cases, and quarter-century contact records to prove that Wu was a great patriot, just as what Mr. Zhao Qizheng has said. Ambassador Wu was never ambiguous or weak in dealing with matters concerning the dignity, honor and fundamental interests of China. He was afraid of neither siege nor power. He was courageous and wise enough to effectively safeguard the People’s Republic of China under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
Today, we mourn and recall him, repeat his rational voice, pass on his wise thoughts, take over his unfinished cause, and regard his lifelong endeavor as a mission for the younger generation, for whom Ambassador Wu had many instructions and expectations. Three of his doctrines impressed me most: The first is to see the world from China and vice versa. Ambassador Wu was distinguished in that his ultimate pursuit was the common interests of the world and the common development of mankind. The second is that patriotism calls for reason and wisdom beyond passion, and we should fight against the narrow nationalism and populism. The third is that protecting national rights and interests requires not only hard power, but also soft power, especially the healthy mentality of the people. All of us are civil ambassadors. We must do a good job in diplomatic work to build a community of common interests for all mankind. As young people, we should not be arrogant and harsh; instead, we must learn to communicate so as to succeed in our business. No country in the world today can handle the global crisis alone. China and the rest of the world need to help each other as we are in the same boat. However, this "boat" is not a Chinese dragon boat, but the Noah's Ark of all mankind.
Speech by Sha Zukang, former UN Under-Secretary-General
Comrade Wu Jianmin dedicated his whole life to the diplomatic cause of our motherland. He was the only person who devoted almost all his time to diplomacy all year round. He did not take a rest on weekends, nor did he take leaves on holidays. You may catch him at diplomatic banquets at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Therefore, his dedication is always worth our appreciation.
Wu Jianmin was a noble man. He had many concerns about the world and China alike. There are many examples in this regard. In the years I spent with him, I never caught him engaged in any vulgar behavior. He was insulated from social tricks such as baffling, slandering or sowing dissension among others. In my mind he was a pure and noble person. He attached great importance to research, and his survey was all about the hotspots and core issues where China is concerned or interested in, as well as the long-term development of our country.
What impressed me very much is that he paid great attention to making friends at width and depth. He worked hard to build a bridge for exchanges between China and the rest of the world. He had made many friends internationally and domestically, from all walks of life, as I can see that you come from many different sectors. It should be noted that, given today's landscape, where both the international and domestic conditions have changed greatly, we have a special need to build up our soft power. Mr. Wu set a good example in making friends.
During his stay in Geneva and his presidency at CFAU, Ambassador Wu particularly emphasized the training of young cadres. This was quite visionary, forthe future of a country, including the future of its diplomatic cause, lies in the hands of its young people. During his presidency, Mr. Wu often asked me to visit CFAU and give lectures to his students.
When learning from Mr. Wu, we should above all observe his position, his views and his methodology. To err is man, but we should emulate those better than us, especially in the present period of great changes. Learning from him, we may have a chance to generate great ideas.
Speech by Major General Yao Yunzhu, Director of the China-US Defense Relations Center under PLA Academy of Military Sciences
As a diplomat, Ambassador Wu certainly excelled in creating a favorable international environment for China in a diplomatic manner. However, he held that a strong army is the guarantee of diplomatic success. He lectured at different military units, not only publicizing the peaceful diplomatic idea, but also calling for the establishment of a strong army, as diplomacy and military forces were both important means for maintaining peace and development. Since 2014, the Xiangshan Forum sponsored by the China Association for Military Science (CAMS) has been upgraded by inviting 400-600 senior defense and military officials and experts and scholars from 60-70 countries. We always invited Ambassador Wu to be the host of the Forum. I admire his graceful elegance, eloquent speech, imminent humor, and firmness in safeguarding China's position. In the process of presiding over the Forum, Ambassador Wu left us an impression of combining his wisdom of a diplomat with the perseverance of a soldier.
Speech by Shen Guofang, former Editor-in-Chief of the World Knowledge Publishing House
A year has passed since Ambassador Wu unfortunately said farewell to us forever. I am a very good friend of Mr. Wu. As his student, I learned a lot from him, including his diplomatic philosophy, his broad vision, his vivid expressions in public diplomacy, his words that could go into your mind, his humble attitude, and his flexible approach. He also impressed me much as I recall the angle and depth he took in investigating the situation. The MOF attaches great importance to research and survey, yet I would tell young Chinese diplomats that his perspective, penetration and viewpoint will always be worth learning. He had 42 years of diplomatic experience, including 25 years of overseas experience. He published several books and launched three courses at CFAU, respectively the diplomatic cases, the contemporary Chinese consulate, and communicology. Prof. Shi Yanhua was right. He left too early, with so many things to be done. It was a real pity that he had no time to leave us more legacies.
Speech by Qin Yaqing, President of CFAU
I remember that President Wu gave a speech to the students shortly after his inauguration, mainly talking about public diplomacy. What impressed me most at that time was that he said anyone engaged in public diplomacy must above all have an ideal and faith. What does it mean? It is a firm belief that peace and development are the trends of the times, and that what we do is based on the love of our motherland and mankind. This is precisely his inscription for the alma mater. As a public diplomacy practitioner, if you do not have your own ideal and belief, and if you are not determined and do not trust China as a positive force with unwavering support for world peace, then your words will go in contrary to your minds.
We held some training sessions for spokespersons from ministries and commissions. President Wu was a lecturer himself, talking about communication and public diplomacy. In the sessions, he gave many doctrines to these trainee spokespersons, which centered on the discipline of being frank, calm, real, and sincere. "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." He quoted Abraham Lincoln to emphasize that sincerity is the best principle of public diplomacy. Diplomacy differs between internal and external affairs, while the requirements for confidentiality should be obeyed. Therefore, there will be messages omitted or kept under your hat. But please remember one thing: do not lie.
I remember President Wu talking about several interesting phrases for public diplomacy, the meaning of which can be summarized as "understanding and tolerance." Understanding means that we must first understand others by catching what they are talking about, including the context, the reason and the logicIn turn, you must make yourself understood by using the words that others can understand. So, we have to tell our own story in a good way. From this perspective, only on the basis of understanding can people tolerate and coexist in peace and co-strive for common prosperity.
Speech by Wang Zhenyao, President of CGPI
For me, Ambassador Wu has left one thought and two works. After I left the Ministry of Civil Affairs, I listened to his speech about big strategies, great visions and major changes. His ideas were very inspiring, then I asked him whether he could cooperate with China's commonweal or charity organizations. He said he would be willing to do that. Charity was marginalized at that time and supposed to belong to internal affairs. I hadn’t expected that Ambassador Wu envisaged the international and strategic nature of charity in China. Then, I received guidance and assistance from him, and of course also from Ambassador Shi. The couple indeed proved very helpful to China's philanthropy. We have established the East-West Philanthropists Summit.
Ambassador Wu's cooperation with me took a step further at the Sino-French Cultural Forum (SFCF). Mr. Zhang Xuejun is here today. He is the Secretary-General of the Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA) who directly operates in China. At the beginning, we did not have much contact, but Ambassador Wu and Mr. Raffarin, together with Yi Shu 8, made a lot of efforts, and finally the SFCF was officially launched. The presidents of the two countries exchanged letters of congratulations. Many French philanthropists and artists also attended the forum, contributing to the cultural exchanges between China and France. Unfortunately, Ambassador Wu left us too early, for we need him very much. In both areas, Ambassador Wu was a vital collaborator, promoter, and mentor of us.
Keynote speech by former Vice Administrator of the CNSA Luo Ge
I have only three points to make. First, Ambassador Wu promoted Sino-French cooperation in spaceflight and science, technology and industry for national defense. Today, thanks to such cooperation, many important results have been achieved on the platforms used by communication and navigation satellites, where Mr. Wu and his colleagues with the Chinese embassy in France made great contributions.
Next, Ambassador Shi just now summarized her husband as "modest, calm and rational," which impressed me deeply in reference to your memory and my own experiences. At that time, China-France relations involved cooperation in aerospace and national defense technology, while he handled very well, and the cooperation yielded successful results.
Third, Ambassador Wu's personality, diligence and summarizing ability distinguished him as a good teacher and helpful friend of mine.
Speech by Huang Renwei, former Deputy Dean of the SASS
Ambassador Wu Jianmin left us immense valuable spiritual wealth. Given a tight schedule, I'll only talk about one thing, namely public diplomacy. Ambassador Wu had a dual identity as a diplomat and a public diplomat. Having returned from France, he was no longer a diplomat. Instead, he became president of China Foreign Affairs University and spokesman for the CPPCC. he was more of a public diplomat. In public diplomacy, he was unique in his work approach, language and even gestures on all occasions, which made him unique among the many diplomats and public diplomats we had seen.
First, his language skills were good. He spoke English and French, so he could express his ideas freely in all kinds of international situations. His words went into the mind of others. Of course, what made him charming was not just language, yet such talent was very rare in China.
Second, he understood his peers very well. We must understand each other before getting engaged in public diplomacy. Public diplomacy does not mean hurting someone.
Third, he prioritized China's core interests and core values. He was a combination of a firm internationalist and a patriot.
Speech by Zhang Guobin, former Chinese Consul General in Strasbourg
I think the key to commemorating Ambassador Wu Jianmin is to carry on his spirit. He once said that every living man must do something meaningful for his or her country, which has always been encouraging me. In response to his call, I have written some books and many articles over the years. Now, I am retired, and I keep on working at the Chahar Institute.
Speech by Zheng Ruolin, Correspondent of the Wen Wei Po newspaper
When I was interviewing Ambassador Wu Jianmin in France, I was very cautious and wanted to give him an outline of the interview. However, Ambassador Wu said it was unnecessary and asked me to arrive at the appointed time and just go through the Q&A session. Once the interview was over, I asked him if he wanted me to refer the manuscript to him for review. He told me to publish it immediately without his review. I have interviewed many senior officials during my professional career, to be frank, few of them can be as ease as him, who didn’t see the interview outline, nor review the manuscript. Everyone knows that it is essential to review the manuscript, for the person interviewed can make supplements or delete some words that he or she deems improper. But he did not do so. Why? On the one hand, this reflected that he was indeed a talented ambassador. After I put forward my question, he often immediately gave out his answers, without looking at any materials the secretary might have prepared for him. On the other hand, it was his confidence that made him so special. As a diplomat, confidence matters. This little thing left a very deep impression on me.
Speech by Gao Shuqun, Secretary-General of the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations:
Ambassador Wu was famous among the common people only when he retired from his diplomat position and concentrated on public diplomacy. In the past decade, Ambassador Wu was a banner in the public diplomacy domain. In the face of the aggressive siege by western powers against our country, he stood up to advocate peace courageously and defend the hard-won peace building environment. We are all touched by the clear-cut image of a great patriot that Ambassador Wu established in his later years. Such credo and courage came from his love of the motherland and his accurate grasp of the world trends.
Speech by CEC Secretary-General Cheng Hong:
Last month in my Beijing office, I received the first delegation of French young scholars invited by the WJF. I was very happy to communicate with them. First, I saw the ongoing of the cross-cultural and cross-border exchanges promoted by Ambassador Wu. Second, there are some younger people who have undertaken such a mission. The average age of the visiting French scholars is below 25. They all have huge potential for future leadership and competitiveness in their professional fields. I have shared with them three valuable gains from Ambassador Wu. First, a young man must have a professional expertise. This is what we learned from Ambassador Wu. Second, whether you are from China or France, or any other country, you should have a world outlook for peace and development in your heart. Third, no matter what work you do, you must communicate with people in a gentle, communicative approach. The art of communication is vital. These are the three gains that I have learned w when working with Ambassador Wu for more than a decade.
Speech by Cao Lili, CPC Secretary of Nanjing Tianjiabing High School
Mr. Wu has gone with the wind while his image will last in our mind. I still recall that in 2012 when Ambassador Wu returned to his alma mater, where he wrote an inscription for the school: "love your motherland and love mankind," which was reiterated in his lecture as our school celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2015. He said that it was easy to love your motherland but not so easy to love all humans. He also raised an expectation for all the students, hoping that they could grow into adults with an international vision. In order to enhance the international vision of our students, he personally helped connect our school with the famous French Lycée Kléber during his tenure as Chinese ambassador to France, and facilitated the establishment of friendly ties between the two schools. With regular exchange of visits between the teachers and students over the years, we have gradually consolidated our mutual understanding. What we can console Ambassador Wu today is that we have incorporated the vision-enhancing program in our school's 13th Five-Year development plan. It has become the consensus of all our teachers and students to gain a more in-depth understanding of the rest of the world. In order to help our students gain a global awareness and open mindset, we provide every means for them to learn about the civilization of mankind, the development of the current world. In doing so, they should respect other cultures, recognize the diversity and differences between them, actively participate in cross-cultural exchanges, follow closely the problems facing the mankind, and understand the meaning and value of the community of common destiny for mankind.
Speech by Wu Xiaoping Student of Ambassador Wu Jianmin and director of the CFAU Foreign Affairs Office
I am a student of Ambassador Wu, one of the first doctoral students of Ambassador Wu when he was a professor at CFAU. At the same time, I was an assistant teacher for the course communicology. I spent 13 years with him, outgrowing his other students. During the period, his words and deeds and teachings had profound implications for me. To sum up, there are three points that have to be noted:
The first is his style of work. He was very realistic and pragmatic.
The second is his personality. He had always been very humble and sincere.
The third is his attitude toward difficulties and problems. He never evaded or complained; instead, he kept on trying to find a solution.
Many people branded him a member of the Chinese dove faction, describing him as the top dove. In my eyes, he was a brave dove, living up to his mission, braving howling winds and torrential rains, and not afraid of self-sacrifice. Although he was no longer here, his thoughts and ideas have been deeply rooted in this land. His life and his propositions are like the navigation lights in the sea, guiding me and the younger generations to go forward, with warmth and strength.
Speech by Zhang Xuejun, Secretary-General of the WRSA
At this moment, I have so many feelings to express, that I would like to recite an acrostic poem of mine mourning Ambassador Wu I made after his memorial meeting one year ago.
In Memory of Ambassador Wu
Your patriotism has been carved on the annals of history;
Your love of the country is renowned across your own county.
Silent is the roaring sound as you speak of the rolling world;
You are a messenger to God, where peace will be found.
Speech by STA Prof. Wang Bonan
Ambassador Wu was engaged as an honorary professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA), and launched a lot of academic and professional courses on communicology. He had been on the diplomatic frontier for a long time, and was keenly aware of a problem. He gave me an example, saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs enrolled 500-600 civil servants from colleges and universities all over the country per year but none of them majored in art, while he as a veteran almost devoting all his life to diplomacy found that art was particularly important. So, he in conjunction with Director Zhao and Ambassador Shi visited STA and sat in on our classes, listening to our lectures. He said that art colleges distinguish themselves by art-consciousness, for they pay attention to both the content and the way of communication. He said that many universities had invited him, but he chose to come to our school. Why? He believed that it would be beneficial to combine the artistic ways of communication with the content of communicology.
Therefore, to commemorate him, one thing is very important, that is, we shall not only remember him, but also carry on his legacy. In a sense, it is of particularly important, because Ambassador Wu almost devoted his last decade to nurturing young people. This is something that many of us present here today can work on.
Concluding speech by Wu Jiansheng, WJF Chairman
On this special day, we gather together to remember my brother in this form, telling his stories and carrying on his unfinished cause. I believe that it would be comforting for him if our condolence stretches to him. Watching the two newly published works placed in front of us and listening to the affectionate speeches by more than 20 delegates, I seem to identify his figure again in the middle of us, smiling and talking...
Over the several months since the establishment of the Foundation, and under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the support of friends from all walks of life, we have carried out the following tasks: We participated in 10th Annual Summit of Chinese Green Companies sponsored by the CEC, met with a group of outstanding entrepreneurs as our friends who put forward valuable suggestions for the development of the Foundation; We steadily advanced the implementation of the Wu Jianmin International Visiting Program for Youths. In cooperation with the Friends of Wu Jianmin and the Foundation Prospective and Innovation of France, we successfully co-hosted the first French youth delegation visiting China and established a comprehensive and multi-level exchange platform to promote emotional exchanges between young people of the two countries. This enhanced our understanding of each other's national conditions, and facilitated the peaceful development of both China and France by sowing and nurturing the seeds of friendship from generation to generation. In addition, in order to broaden our horizons and achieve co-development, we have also signed strategic cooperation agreements with CFAU, the Chahar Institute, the Shanghai Education Development Foundation (SEDF), and the Shanghai Theater Academy, etc.
During the inception of the WJF, we received friendly donations from organizations such as Lenovo Holdings Public Welfare Foundation, Jingyan Commonwealth Foundation, Lao Niu Foundation, Qiaonyu Foundation and YBCF, as well as from individuals such as Peng Binge, Yu Gang, Wang Ronghua, and Mr. Han Desen and his wife. In our practice, we also received support and assistance from many organizations, including the CEC, CFAU, STA, the Jin Jiang International Group, Air China, the Foundation Prospective and Innovation, the China Democracy and Legal Publishing House, the Foreign Languages Press, and the Gongtai Tea Company and so on. On behalf of the WJF, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of them.
The Foundation is still in its infancy. But you can rest assured that we will comply with its mission, bear in mind everyone's trust and expectations, and carry on and promote Wu's philosophy of peaceful development. We will continue to promote the exchange between excellent Chinese and foreign youths, launch cooperative and win-win public diplomacy and the related public benefit activities, and strive to make our due contributions to the peaceful development of China and the world alike.
Conclusion by WJF Secretary-General Feng Wei
Despite of his unlucky departure, his spirit and thoughts are immortal. A phrase goes like this: "He who lives in the hearts of the people lives forever." With so many friends of Wu Jianmin standing by us, my colleagues and I are endowed with incredible confidence and strength, we feel quite motivated and ambitious to do a good job in running the WJF in the days to come, and to carry forward the unfinished endeavor of Ambassador Wu Jianmin. Thank you all.
At this point, the Forum "Unforgettable Ambassador Wu" was successfully concluded.