On January 8th, the Xining Public Diplomacy Association was formally established in Xining, capital of Qinghai province, becoming the first association of its kind in Western China. Zhao Qizheng, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference attended the inaugural meeting. Addressing the meeting, Zhao said that advancing public diplomacy is vital to presenting the world with an accurate picture of China and dispelling prejudice, misconceptions and suspicion from foreign nations.  Overall, public diplomacy will facilitate an atmosphere of propitious public opinion. He expressed his hope that in establishing the center, Xining can work continuously to improve the level of public diplomacy, expanding its resource base and garnering new achievements.  Attendees to the meeting reviewed and passed the “Constitution of the Xining Public Diplomacy Association” and elected council members for the first session, including the executive director, vice chairman, chairman, and secretary-general.  The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 403, Jan. 11, 2013 Chinese link: http://www.csstoday.net/Item/42578.aspx Translated by Charles Horne