The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is one of the three major foreign affairs organizations of the People's Republic of China. Its purposes are to strengthen people’s friendship, further international cooperation, safeguard world peace and promote common development. On behalf of the Chinese people, the Association makes friends with organizations in foreign countries in an earnest way, lays and expands social foundation for friendship between China and other countries, and works for solidarity and progress of mankind. CPAFFC implements China's independent foreign policy of peace and observes the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence while carrying out all-directional, multi-level and broad-area people-to-people friendship work to serve the great cause of China's peaceful development and reunification and contribute to the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. The Association, supported by the Chinese Government and sponsored by parties from all walks of life, has set up 46 China-regional or China-national friendship organizations, and has maintained a good friendship and partnership with over 500 nongovernment organizations and institutions in 157 countries.