Retired American teacher Ronald Sakolsky said it is "embarrassing" that a positive story about China hit the world headlines but can only be covered by local media in the United States.
More than two decades ago, Sakolsky supported a Chinese woman, Yin Yuzhen, in planting trees to combat desertification. The story went viral when Ms Yin took to social media to look for the man who offered her financial support 20 years ago because she wanted to show that the trees he helped to plant had flourished. After reconnecting online, Sakolsky and Yin met again in China, a story that hit global headlines.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday referred to the story during a banquet at the White House, saying that it touches the hearts of many Chinese people and stands as a shining example of the friendly exchanges between the two peoples.
During the visit, Xi also said that 100,000 young Americans will be invited to visit China for exchanges and study over the next 5 years.
However, such positive stories are not extensively covered in the U.S. media.
A name called out from a podium, Sakolsky noted, won't make headlines. But it serves as a reminder that what China and the United States need most isn't more noise, but better stories, told well.
"I think the news media, unfortunately, focuses on the negatives. And I'm saying to myself, why aren't you focusing on the fact that President Xi just started the program back again for the student exchange, 100,000 student visas? That's a positive. Why aren't you talking about that? Every single day that I've been home, literally every single day I have been on WeChat, Facebook, e-mail talking to people about the relationship between China and America. I sent a text message to Sean Hannity on Fox news about an hour ago and I said to him, how embarrassing is it that only a local media station here in Pittsburgh has covered the story for five minutes? And yet the President Xi of China mentions it at a White House dinner," said Sakolsky.
Sakolsky said he has spent every day since returning home discussing China-U.S. relations with people across platforms - conversations he hopes can help fill the gap left by mainstream coverage.
Retired American teacher questions US media silence on positive China stories
