Emphasizing the importance of sustained people-to-people interactions for fostering positive China-US relations, Carol Robertson Lopez, chair emeritus of Sister Cities International of the United States, called for increased youth and cultural exchanges between the two nations.

Lopez's first visit to China was in 2009 with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, or CPAFFC.

"During a two-week tour, we traveled extensively and witnessed the country's incredible diversity and beauty. It truly opened my eyes to what a beautiful country China is," she recalled.

She said that China and the US are the two largest economies in the world, and the relations between the two countries could have a global impact.

"We must continue to promote mutual respect and understanding between our countries," Lopez said.

She advocated for building sister-city ties as an effective tool for promoting mutual understanding. "When people get to know each other, we realize we have much more in common than differences. We focus on cultural exchange, educational exchange, and building mutual respect and understanding."

In 1979, Hubei province and Ohio became the first sister province/state, while Nanjing and St. Louis, Missouri, established the first sister-city relationship, initiating local-level exchanges. Since then, China and the US have formed 287 sister relationships, including 50 between provinces/states and 237 between cities.

Since 2014, Sister Cities International of the US has co-hosted the US-China Sister Cities Summit six times with the CPAFFC to promote subnational exchanges between the two nations.

The relationship between countries and cities will not always remain at the same level, said Lopez, emphasizing the need for continuous efforts to maintain open lines of communication and cooperation even during the ups and downs of the relationship.

Moments of solidarity

She also highlighted the historical moments of solidarity, such as the US and China standing together during World War II, as reminders of the importance of these bonds.

Looking to the future, Lopez stressed the critical role of youth in shaping global relations. "With the internet, the youth now are more internationally connected than ever, learning about and engaging with cultures worldwide. We must focus on fostering these connections because our youth are our future," she said.

At a welcome dinner held by friendly organizations in the US in San Francisco in November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that to increase exchanges between the peoples of China and the US, especially between the youth, China was ready to invite 50,000 young people from the US to China on exchange and study programs in five years.

Lopez praised this initiative, noting the positive impact such experiences have on young people. "We've had young Americans return from China with great experiences, some even choosing to move to China for further education. These exchanges are crucial," she said.

A July report by the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank, revealed that more than 60 China-US youth exchanges took place in China across 20 provincial regions in the first half of this year. Participants included students, young entrepreneurs, media professionals and more, engaging in activities ranging from roundtable discussions to cultural performances, all aimed at fostering mutual understanding and friendship.

"China is a vast and diverse country, much like the US. Sometimes our lack of knowledge hinders our appreciation of its beauty and uniqueness. We need to learn more about each other to build mutual respect and understanding," Lopez emphasized.

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