China Focus: China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges urged to promote bilateral ties

BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Figures from various sectors in China and the United States have gathered in Beijing, calling for more exchanges between the two peoples amid complexities and uncertainties of bilateral ties.

Guests to the U.S.-China People's Dialogue believed that people-to-people exchanges in academics, commerce, culture and sports, among others, can serve as a bridge between Chinese and Americans and a foundation for the healthy development of future bilateral relations.

The event, from Wednesday to Saturday, was co-organized by the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR).

Da Wei, director of the CISS, said the two peoples, sharing certain common beliefs and interests while also having significant differences, can enhance mutual understanding and build trust and friendship through exchanges.

"Sometimes we have different ideas, policies and interests, but we need to understand each other," Da said. "That's the core of people-to-people exchanges."

Stephen Orlins, president of the NCUSCR, lauded the people-to-people relationship as the foundation of U.S.-China relations.

Recalling the committee's role in Ping-Pong Diplomacy over half a century ago and how that "fundamentally altered" the Chinese and American perceptions of each other, Orlins urged efforts to strengthen the people-to-people relations that have been built over the decades.

In strengthening the relations, the speakers focused on exchanges between the young people, hoping to nurture a new generation of future leaders with well-informed knowledge of the other country.

Acknowledging the Chinese initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit and study in China, university representatives called for further administrative efforts to facilitate student exchanges, such as simplified visa procedures.

Jeffrey Lehman, vice chancellor of the New York University (NYU) Shanghai, suggested that Chinese and U.S. students study in the other country for an extended period of time, rather than brief visits, to really get to know the country and people.

College years are "a precious moment" in a person's life cycle, Lehman said, adding that living and studying in a new country can be "truly transformative" for students.

Chinese basketball star Yao Ming, former Houston Rockets All-Star center, proposed that young Chinese and Americans find common emotional bonds via sports games.

"For young people, sports is not just about physical fitness, but also about shaping thoughts and spirits," Yao said.

Challenging the common notion that "art is a universal language," Alison Friedman, executive and artistic director for Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that while art can be used to bridge people, it also requires a certain level of educational and cultural exposure to create truly meaningful emotional connections.

She suggested that more U.S. artists and scholars come to China to learn the traditional art forms here and vice versa.

Looking into the future, Li Cheng, a professor of political science at the University of Hong Kong, expected the younger generation to become a key driving force in promoting future China-U.S. relations.