BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The story of retired U.S. teacher Ronald Sakolsky and Yin Yuzhen, a Chinese woman dedicated to combating desertification, has gone viral, reflecting the power of ordinary people in tackling global climate change, and cementing the bond between the two countries.
Twenty-six years ago, while in China on a teaching exchange program, Sakolsky raised 5,000 U.S. dollars to support Yin's tree-planting efforts in a desert. With the funds, Yin and her family went on to cultivate a forest of more than 50,000 trees.
During his current trip to China, Sakolsky reunited with Yin at her home in Inner Mongolia and marveled at the "miracle" she had created. For Sakolsky, the visit reaffirmed his appreciation for a culture that honors promises and diligence, and let him see where the two countries can work together.
History bears witness to the indispensable role people-to-people exchanges have played in fostering friendship between China and the United States. The legacy of the U.S. Flying Tigers pilots who helped China fight Japanese aggression during World War II, as well as Ping-Pong Diplomacy, which helped thaw China-U.S. relations more than five decades ago, remains relevant today, illuminating the path toward greater friendship between the two peoples.
More and more young Americans are visiting China for exchanges, taking part in cultural tours and friendly sports matches, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions with their Chinese peers.
Since November 2023, more than 50,000 young Americans have come to China for visits and exchanges. Young people from both countries have reached out to one another, deepened mutual understanding, forged lasting friendships and opened a new chapter in friendly exchanges between the two peoples.
This matters even more as China and the United States seek to build a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability. Stronger people-to-people ties can help people in both countries develop a better understanding of each other, breaking down stereotypes and enhancing common ground.
Some American politicians, however, have a different agenda. They have been pushing for "decoupling" and the U.S. side has imposed restrictions on bilateral exchanges in education, sci-tech and other fields in the name of national security.
The hope of China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation rests on grassroots connections, and its future depends on the younger generation.
As Sakolsky earnestly put it during his China trip, "Chinese and Americans can work together and make a peaceful world." When China and the United States act as friends and partners, the benefits extend beyond the two countries to the wider world. ■
