BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump. At a White House welcoming ceremony, Xi invited 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchange and study programs over the next five years.
"The hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, and its future lies in the youth," Xi said.
This new initiative builds on an earlier announcement Xi made in San Francisco in November 2023, where China committed to inviting 50,000 young Americans to participate in exchange programs over five years. Two and a half years later, that target was achieved ahead of schedule, with the total number of participants exceeding the initial goal.
To coincide with the state visit, People's Daily released a video titled "Through Xi's eyes: Where youth bridges the Pacific." The video highlights young people from China and the United States who formed lasting connections through their shared passion for pickleball—a dynamic fostered by the "50,000 in Five Years" initiative.
In the feature, students from both nations recall meeting six months ago at the 2026 China-US Youth Pickleball Friendship Tournament in Beijing and say they hope to meet again. Pickleball has emerged as a new bond of friendship, bringing young people closer through teamwork, high-fives and shared laughter.
The video also highlights a personal exchange. Following a 2025 exchange trip to China, delegation leader Jeffrey Sullivan and his students wrote to President Xi to express their gratitude for the experience. About a month later, President Xi replied—arriving on Sullivan's birthday. In his letter, Xi expressed delight in seeing pickleball serve as a bridge for youth exchanges between the two nations.
"It's a great initiative in that it provides opportunities for friendships to form and for bonds to deepen, while setting the stage for intentional learning among our youth," Sullivan said.
Just as "ping-pong diplomacy" famously opened doors to China-US relations decades ago, pickleball is building a modern bridge of friendship. Exchange and cooperation continue to reflect the shared aspirations of both peoples, with young goodwill ambassadors injecting fresh momentum into long-term bilateral ties.
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Effective October 1, 2026, Julian Neo succeeds Andy Chiang as Managing Director for DHL Express Hong Kong and Macau; Andy will retire from DHL Group on January 1, 2027
Julian brings more than 25 years of experience across sales, commercial and general management roles at DHL Express in Asia Pacific
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – DHL Express, the world's leading international express service provider, has appointed Julian Neo as Managing Director for DHL Express Hong Kong and Macau, effective October 1, 2026. He succeeds Andy Chiang, who will retire from DHL Group on January 1, 2027, following more than 34 years of service with the company.
Julian brings more than 25 years of experience with DHL Express across sales, commercial and management roles in Malaysia, Singapore and Asia Pacific. As Managing Director of DHL Express Malaysia and Brunei since 2019, he has achieved sustained revenue and EBIT growth, strengthened market leadership and delivered outstanding customer quality results. Under his leadership, the company has fostered a high-performance culture, earning Great Place to Work® certification for seven consecutive years and being recognised as the No. 3 Best Workplace™ in Malaysia in 2026. Prior to his leadership role in Malaysia, Julian served as Vice President for Global Multinational Customers for the Asia Pacific region, where he led strategic relationships with multinational customers, driving profitable growth and strengthening long-term customer partnerships in diverse markets.
Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express, said, "Julian has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his career with DHL Express. His strong commercial acumen, customer-centric mindset and proven track record of developing high-performing teams have consistently delivered outstanding results across the region. Hong Kong's position as a major international trade and logistics hub, particularly for growing intra-Asia trade, presents significant opportunities for businesses across the region. I am confident Julian's extensive experience across Asia Pacific will enable him to build on our strong foundation and further strengthen our market leadership, customer partnerships and growth in Hong Kong and Macau."
Julian Neo, incoming Managing Director for Hong Kong and Macau, DHL Express, said, "I am honored to take on this role and lead our talented team in Hong Kong and Macau. As one of the world's most connected economies and a critical gateway for international trade, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to capture emerging opportunities in the region. Supported by our world-class international network, we are well placed to help customers navigate evolving supply chains and expand across borders. I look forward to working closely with our employees, customers and partners to deliver exceptional service, support business growth and animate our purpose of 'Connecting People, Improving Lives'."
Reinforcing Hong Kong's role as a gateway to global trade In his new role, Julian will be based in Hong Kong to focus on strengthening DHL Express's position as the partner of choice for businesses pursuing international growth. Hong Kong is one of the world's most connected economies, ranking sixth1 globally for international connectedness, and is a leading international logistics and aviation hub. Leveraging these strengths, Julian will support customers, particularly SMEs, in accessing global opportunities and expanding into new markets.
Building on his extensive commercial and leadership experience, Julian will also drive closer collaboration across DHL's business units to deliver integrated logistics solutions and support customers' evolving supply chain needs, including newly introduced offerings such as Heavyweight Express services. These efforts will help customers unlock new growth opportunities while further strengthening Hong Kong's competitiveness as a global logistics hub.
DHL Express was established in Hong Kong in 1972 and boasts a robust network, including the Central Asia Hub, one of DHL's three global hubs, three service centers, approximately 750 retail outlets and service points and a committed team of more than 1,700 employees.
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DHL – The logistics company for the world
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 389,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".
DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 82.9 billion euros in 2025. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.
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