A cultural exchange event in Guangzhou saw teenagers from China and the United States gather to promote mutual understanding and friendship through music and other art forms.
Kicking off the new year, young performers from the American One Voice Children's Choir returned to Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, for another visit, engaging in face-to-face cultural exchanges with local youth.
During their time together, the teenagers visited the top of the city's landmark Canton Tower, and joined their voices in heartfelt rendition of the emotionally rich Cantonese classic "Friends."
"I think music is so powerful and creates such a bond between people. I mean, I'm not really understanding the words of this song, but I just know that it's so powerful to everybody and just music can span gaps that words can't always fill," said Cody, a member of One Voice Children's Choir.
Beyond singing, the young visitors also participated in hands-on cultural experiences including calligraphy and handcrafted fans making with their Guangzhou peers, immersing themselves in the charm of Chinese aesthetics and Eastern civilization.
Teenagers from both countries said that this event gave them a deeper understanding for the power of cultural exchange in strengthening China-U.S. friendship. Many primary school students in Guangzhou shared their hope that such activities would be held more frequently.
"We'd like to have more of these China-U.S. exchange activities," said Li Ziyu, a primary school student.
"In areas like music and sports, which have no borders, we can enhance cooperation," said another student, Zhang Bolun.
Music gathering in Guangzhou deepens friendship between Chinese, US teens
The disciplinary body of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called for reinforced anti-corruption efforts during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
The call was made in a communique adopted at the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), held from Monday to Wednesday in Beijing.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the session and delivered an important speech.
The plenary session reviewed the discipline inspection and supervision work during 2025 and assigned tasks for 2026. It adopted a work report delivered by Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CCDI, on behalf of the Standing Committee of the CCDI.
The session unanimously agreed to take guidance from Xi's important speech, persistently strengthen political oversight, and remain steadfast in improving conduct, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption.
It was noted at the session that in 2025, the top disciplinary body investigated, punished, and publicly exposed typical cases of discipline violations, to further promote improved work conduct and foster new practices across the Party.
Efforts were intensified to address corruption in key sectors such as finance, state-owned enterprises, energy, firefighting, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, higher education, and sports.
Campaigns were deepened to tackle misconduct and corruption that occurred at people's doorsteps. Reform of the discipline inspection and supervision system was also advanced in greater depth.
The session stressed that as China advances into the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the CPC faces fresh imperatives in advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance and must take more forceful and effective measures to eradicate the breeding ground and conditions for corruption.
The session emphasized the necessity of strengthening political oversight to support the achievement of the period's objectives and tasks. It called for taking strict actions against behavior in disregard of the rules, opportunism, sectarianism, a silo mentality, and unprincipled nice-guyism.
The session also urged improving long-term mechanisms to refine codes of conduct, while ramping up efforts to combat corruption in high-priority sectors. It further mandated tough scrutiny and punishment for collusion between officials and businessmen.
In addition, the session demanded more standardized and law-based discipline inspection and supervision work.
Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attended the session.
CPC calls for reinforced anti-corruption efforts during 15th Five-Year Plan period
