At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Chairman of the Appeal of Conscience, visited Beijing and Shanghai successively from November 18 to 25, 2010. During his stay in Beijing, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Mr.Danzhu Angben, Vice Minister of State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Mr. Li Yang,Vice President of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences met with him respectively. Amb. Chen Yonglong, Vice President of the CPIFA, and Mr. Wang Jisi, Dean of the International Studies School, Peking University, hosted dinners respectively in his honor. In Shanghai, Vice Mayor Tang Dengjie and Mr. Yang Jiemian, President of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies respectively met with him. The two sides exchanged views on Sino-U.S. relations and China’s policy on religious affairs. He also visited Ohel Rachel Synagogue and other religious sites in Shanghai.

       Rabbi Schneier was appreciative of China’s properly providing venues for religious believers holding activities during the Shanghai World Expo. He said people-to-people exchanges, including religious exchanges, are the foundation of bilateral relations. He and the Appeal and Conscience will continue to enhance the religious cooperation between the U.S. and China so as to further promote friendship and understanding between the two peoples.