On May 10, 2004, Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang met respectively with visiting Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr. Jean de Courten and Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Mr. Markku Niskala at the office building of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shen highly praised for the positive role played by the International Red Cross Organization in international humanitarian affairs, and expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation between the Chinese side and these two organizations and China's willingness to further enhance cooperation between the two sides in the humanitarian area.

Mr. de Courten and Mr. Niskala thanked the Chinese side for inviting them to China to attend the celebrations for the centennial of the establishment of the Chinese Red Cross Society. They believed China is very influential in international affairs and the humanitarian arena and indicated they are willing to help strengthen friendly relations of cooperation between these two organizations and China.