Young singers from the United States, on a visit to China for the 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival, have expressed appreciation for the opportunity to explore shared culture, as well as to make a lasting impact through exchanges and friendship.
The Bond with Kuliang: China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival, under the theme of "Sing for Peace", is running from July 9 to 18 sequentially in east China's Fuzhou City and Beijing. Nearly 30 youth choirs from both countries, totaling over 1,000 participants, are taking part in this large-scale cultural exchange event through music.
Among the participants is One Voice Children's Choir, whose viral performance of "As You Wish" at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing during their January visit to China captivated online viewers.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Wednesday, three members from the choir -- Cosette, Mya and Ryder -- spoke on their journey, including visiting Kuliang and discovering new connections between their own country and China.
Decades ago, Kuliang, or "Guling" in Mandarin, was a hillside resort among foreign expatriates in the suburbs of Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province. Among them was a young Milton Gardner, who later became a physicist and passed on word of the resort to his wife before he passed away in 1986. Elizabeth Gardner went on to rediscover Kuliang, building new and enduring friendships with China along the way.
"Learning that story was so emotional because every other time we've come to China, we've learned some incredible Chinese history and Chinese culture, but this was a place for the first time, having been to China three times, where it was our culture as well and our history as well. It was such an incredible story to learn and to share. Singing that song with Chinese kids was such an incredible experience," Cosette said.
The choristers also noted that the festival has helped reveal how music transcends politics and cultural boundaries.
"The small connections that we've been making are going to turn into something big. I'll remember the relationships that I've built in China and the friendships that I've made forever, and I'll hold them in my heart forever. So I think that it just starts with the small things," said Mya.
"If we can just be positive in one action, every day we do to your neighbor (as you would have them do to you), it will have a snowball effect that changes the world," said Ryder.
"We're sharing our shared love for music and our shared connections and experiences. And that really snowballs into just a wider spread of love and connection between our two countries as a whole," said Cosette.
Many American families share a profound connection with China through the hillside resort. Their descendants have formed the "Kuliang Friends" group to remember and maintain this enduring friendship.
US youth choir members reflect on snowball effect of small cross-cultural connections
The statement of U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the urgency for reforming global governance, according to a poll from China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday.
"I don't need international law," said Trump during an with The New York Times this week, days after the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the forcible seizure of President Nicolas Maduro. This statement perfectly captures Washington's unilateral and hegemonic trajectory. The New York Times observed that Trump's assessment of his own freedom to use any instrument of military, economic or political power to cement American supremacy was the most blunt acknowledgment yet of his world-view.
In a global public opinion poll conducted by CGTN, 93.5 percent of respondents expressed belief that the U.S., by pursuing unilateralism, has placed itself in opposition to the international community. Also, 91.7 percent think that reforming the global governance system is an urgent priority.
On Wednesday the U.S. announced its withdrawal from 66 international organizations, setting a new record for its retreat from multilateral commitments. These organizations span climate, energy, and global governance, among other fields. Trump argues that their operations run counter to U.S. national interests, sovereignty, and economic prosperity.
In response, 84.1 percent of respondents were not surprised by the U.S. move. Meanwhile, 88.9 percent viewed it as another radical step under the "America First" doctrine. In addition, 93 percent believed the U.S. approach of using international systems when beneficial and abandoning them when not severely undermines the existing international order and global fairness and justice. Also, 88.3 percent noted that the U.S. withdrawals once again expose it as an irresponsible major power, dealing a significant blow to its international reputation. Furthermore, 88.5 percent believe the U.S. withdrawals reflect its negative attitude toward global governance.
The recent episode of unilateral and bullying actions by the U.S. government has sparked widespread alarm and discontent within the international community. Washington's adherence to the law of the jungle where "might is right" is severely undermining the global governance system. In the poll, 89.9 percent of respondents agreed that multilateralism, based on coordination and cooperation, remains key to addressing current global governance challenges. Meanwhile, 94.4 percent believe it is crucial to advance the reform of the global governance system, uphold international rule of law, and enhance the effectiveness of multilateral mechanisms. Moreover, 90 percent think major powers should shoulder greater responsibility and play a more constructive role in promoting global governance reform.
The poll was conducted across CGTN platforms in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian languages, attracting 24,000 responses within 24 hours.
Trump says 'I don't need international law,' highlighting urgency for reforming global governance: CGTN poll
