An exchange event bringing together young baseball players from China and the United States is underway in Fuzhou, the capital of east China's Fujian province, providing a platform for these young people to build friendships and enhance mutual understanding through sports and cultural exchanges.
The event, "Bond with Kuliang: 2026 China-U.S. Youth Baseball Exhibition Games and Sports Festival," runs from Monday to Thursday.
As part of the event, exhibition games featuring four U.S. youth teams and four Chinese teams were held on Tuesday at Fuzhou's Pingtan Baseball Park.
In an exciting game, China's Fujian Provincial Baseball Team took on the U.S. Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Hits, diving catches, and every brilliant play ignited the crowd, creating an electric atmosphere.
"It's honestly once in a lifetime opportunity and experience, because it's a great way to get along, have fun and just build friendships together," said Hill from the U.S. Northeastern State University RiverHawks.
But it wasn't just about the competition. A touching moment unfolded when an American player injured his finger during a game. A Chinese player noticed right away and quickly called for a medic.
"Injuries are hard to avoid in baseball. They can happen suddenly. There was no team doctor in the opposing team's dugout, so I called out to our side to see if they had any plasters, and asked our medic to help treat him," said Lu Yun from the Fujian Provincial Baseball Team.
"One of their players was nice enough to give me a bandage. The only ones I know in Mandarin are thank you (Xiexie), so that's what I said. It's cool how baseball can connect even if you don't speak the same language; you can play baseball together," U.S. player Osborne expressed his gratitude.
Beyond the baseball matches, the young athletes also visited Minjiang University in Fuzhou City as part of the event, where they played basketball and learned Chinese martial arts together. During the campus visit, they also explored a university lab to learn about innovative research and achievements.
Baseball events in Fuzhou build friendship between China, US youth
As the Communist Party of China (CPC) marks its 105th anniversary, international figures said its record offers lessons for political parties and governance worldwide.
Foreign officials highlighted guiding principles behind the CPC’s success. Being rooted in the people, upholding sovereignty, maintaining a long‑term vision, and pursuing self‑renewal best capture the essence of its achievements, said Sergei Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus.
"The first word is 'people-oriented.' This term is chosen because the entire governing logic of the CPC is subordinated to its original mission of serving the people. The second word is 'sovereignty.' Sovereignty symbolizes the unique model of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC has forever broken the false stereotype that modernization can only be achieved by following the Western path, giving developing countries, including Belarus, the intellectual freedom and confidence to pursue their own paths based on their traditions and national interests," said Sergei Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Belarus.
International experts noted that under the CPC's leadership, China has consistently acted as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order, injecting new energy into global prosperity and working with other nations to shape a brighter future for humanity.
Echoing this view, Emin Gasimov, director of the Azerbaijani Center for Study of Culture, Development, and Global Initiative, stressed the CPC’s global role.
"China's strength relies not only on its economy and technology, but also on the CPC's continual self-strengthening, which has made it a political force with strategic vision and a sense of historical responsibility, a choice rightly made by the Chinese people. Today, the role of the CPC can no longer be viewed solely within the framework of the nation. Its experience has become increasingly important to global discussions on development paths, equitable governance, and the future of human civilization. If we see the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping as the international extension of the Chinese modernization, it becomes clear that China not only seeks to share its domestic successes with the world, but also aims to present a broader vision for all humanity, a vision for a just, equal, and sustainable future," said Gasimov.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, addressed a gathering in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the anniversary, drawing praise from foreign officials. They said China's development philosophy and practices are shaping solutions for the world.
"We look to China to tap on their innovation - how they do it, what kind of models are they applying, what kind of evidence-base, because no development happens without research and evidence, because to innovate you have to consistently try and test models of innovation for it to be tried and said, 'this is a best practice model.' And it inspires us," said Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, deputy minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa.
International figures hail CPC for global governance lessons
International figures hail CPC for global governance lessons
