Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian introduced the event of "the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival" at a press briefing on Friday, encouraging Chinese and American youths to carry the baton to contribute to the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.
"From July 9 to 18, the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival was jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Fujian Provincial People's Government. Themed on 'Singing for Peace', the event saw the participation of over 1,000 youth from close to 30 choirs from China and the U.S. On the afternoon of July 17, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. youth friendship event and delivered a speech at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries," Lin introduced.
In her speech, Peng said that the story of Kuliang that began a century ago and President Xi's deep friendship with his old friends in Iowa spanning over 40 years epitomize the China-U.S. people-to-people friendship. Since President Xi put forward over a year ago China's initiative to welcome 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period, many young people from the United States have been invited to visit China.
Peng called on young people to be the inheritors of the China-U.S. friendship, and promoters of peace and amity. She also expressed the hope of seeing more bridges of friendship through the youngsters and a youthful energy being added to a better future for both nations, according to the spokesman.
"At the event, Initiator of the 'Kuliang Friends' Elyn MacInnis and Luca Berrone from Iowa told the story of Kuliang and their experience of taking part in China-U.S. people-to-people exchange and subnational cooperation. Young representatives from the U.S. shared their personal experience of the visit and expressed the will to be a new generation of emissaries of China-U.S. friendship and carry forward this tradition," he said.
"As President Xi Jinping noted, the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in the societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. We hope that the youths of the two countries will carry the baton, jointly pass forward the century-old 'bond with Kuliang', and contribute to the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations," said Lin.
Spokesman on China-U.S. youth friendship event
