By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently replied to teachers and students of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery county, Maryland, who visited China under the initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.
Xi congratulated the delegation on its successful visit to China, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.
Xi’s heartfelt message resonated deeply with the delegation, injecting fresh momentum into growing people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States.
For any great cause to succeed, it must take root in the people, gain strength from the people, and be accomplished by the people. Growing China-U.S. friendship is such a great cause.
At a welcome dinner by friendly organizations in the U.S. in San Francisco in November 2023, Xi announced that to increase exchanges between the two peoples, especially between the youth, China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years.
In 2024, more than 16,000 American youth people visited China through this program, representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C. As one group after another travels across the Pacific, forging friends, learning Chinese, experiencing Chinese culture, and exploring modern China, they are building a more resilient foundation for bilateral relations.
The future of the China-U.S. relationship depends on the youth. Youth exchanges remain a vital source of strength for the development of bilateral relations.
Pickleball, a dynamic and inclusive sport, has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. From teamwork on the court to cultural exchanges off the court, students are writing a new chapter of friendship with their passion and sincerity.
Such exchanges help dismantle cultural barriers and enhance mutual understanding, reflecting their shared aspiration for peace, cooperation, and mutual benefit. The friendships they forged are not only cherished memories but also a beacon of hope for the future of China-U.S. relations.
As more and more young people from both countries come to understand and appreciate each other, and become new-generation envoys of friendship, they will continue to inject vitality into the development of bilateral relations.
The achievements of China-U.S. relations have always been driven by the efforts of ordinary people. Likewise, the path forward depends on their continued engagement and goodwill.
No matter how the global landscape evolves, the historical trend of peaceful coexistence between China and the U.S. will not change. The ultimate wish of the two peoples for exchanges and cooperation will not change. The expectations of the whole world for a steadily growing China-U.S. relationship will not change.
From the icebreaking “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” in the 1970s to today’s pickleball exchanges, sincere people-to-people interactions between the two countries have consistently supported the bilateral relationship.
At this critical juncture in China-U.S. relations, strengthening people-to-people ties is more important than ever. Both sides should facilitate cross-cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions and work to remove unnecessary barriers that hinder engagement.
China remains open and welcoming to the American people and stands ready to enhance mutual understanding through exchanges and cooperation. By encouraging greater interactions and closer bonds between the peoples, both countries can continue deepening the legacy of friendship and contribute to the long-term development of bilateral relations.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, China and the U.S. fought side by side for peace and justice, and the friendship forged during wartime between the two peoples has withstood the test of history and contributed to the ultimate triumph of the global anti-fascist cause.
Moving forward, China stands ready to work with the U.S. to draw strength from the history of friendship between their peoples, and to promote the steady, sound, and sustained development of bilateral relations, delivering more benefits to both peoples.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
