On 17 December 2012 a delegation from the China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) headed by Mr. Mao Rubai, Specially Invited Adviser of CFPD and Chairman of Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation Committee of the 10th National People’s Congress visited the Center for the Study of Democracy. The delegation also included Mr. Liu Zhongxiang, Specially Invited Director of CFPD, Mr. Ji Ping, Deputy Secretary-General of CFPD, Ms. Qi Wei, Senior Program Manager, Mr. Wang Hao, Program Manager and Ms. Fei Ting, Secretary to H.E. Mr. Mao Rubai. The Embassy of China in Sofia was represented by Mr. Jia Li, Deputy Head of Mission and Counselor, and Ms. Gu Fang, First secretary of the Embassy.
Dr. Ognian Shentov, Chairman of the Center for the Study of Democracy welcomed the visit of the delegation as the beginning of a long-term cooperation between the two organizations. Dr. Shentov presented the structure and senior staff of the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Applied Research and Communications Fund. He highlighted the fact that CSD is a “think and action tank” because of its role on the policy-making decision process over the last 20 years. The significant contribution of CSD in the areas of countering corruption and organized crime and to the development of the Bulgarian civil society were given as good examples of the strategic impact of the organization.
Mr. Ruslan Stefanov, Director of the Economic Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy shared the positive experience from a visit to China in 2009 upon invitation of the Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU). Mr. Stefanov discussed the thematic priorities in the work of the Center for the Study of Democracy for the upcoming 2013 in the areas of Competitiveness and Energy Security, Corruption and Anti-Corruption policy, Migration and Human Rights, Crime and Criminal Justice.
Mr. Mao Rubai presented the attendees with the activities of the Chinese Foundation for Peace and Development. He stressed on the fact that although the organization is relatively young, it has a high professional capacity and significant experience in the field of international relations. The mission and purpose of CFPD is striving for world peace and prosperity that CFPD aspires to through its increasing network of partners and implementation of numerous charity projects around the world in the sphere of education, better health care and many others.
Specific thematic areas and formats for potential collaboration between the two organizations were discussed. Such a format could be the Annual Peace and Development Forum of CFPD which gathers together non-governmental organizations from all over the world.
