Op-Ed Contributors

Envoys of lifelong friendship

By Song Zhe (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-14 08:02

To begin with, young people can invigorate and extend the boundaries of China-EU ties. China and Europe differ greatly in terms of history, culture and traditions. However, such differences are superseded by certain similarities when it comes to our younger generation - who are full of passion, vigor and creativity. As advocates of global trends and forerunners of the future, they are the powerhouse for technological innovation, economic development and social progress. In the future, we hope to see more young people becoming active in developing China-EU ties with new ideas and innovative thinking.

Furthermore, young people can contribute to cultural innovation and the common progress of human civilization. Home to ancient civilizations, China and Europe are able to provide their youth with some of the finest ancient oriental and Western cultural heritage. We want young people to have an heart open to different cultures, domestic and foreign, traditional and modern. With their capacity to learn and willingness to communicate, they will then be able to combine the merits of different cultures for innovation, and build a new bridge of dialogue between China and Europe. Our hope is that they promote a world where all civilizations can achieve common progress, and their efforts to deliver this goal will undoubtedly consolidate popular support for future China-EU ties.

Last but not least, young people, in friendship, are capable of going beyond differences. The Internet has made our world a global village, giving us all kinds of choices to stay connected. Such favorable conditions put youth in a better position to respect, understand and appreciate different people and cultures. I always think of young people as "lubricant", as they can learn from others and approach their differences with an open mind and an inclusive heart, in politics, business, culture, and all other sectors of society. The young can break free from the old ways of thinking and abandon bias and stereotypes, with the young as envoys of lifelong friendship across generations, I'm confident that all of the differences and misgivings between us will be finally replaced by trust and agreements, and China-EU relations will definitely stand the test of time.

As we head into the second decade of the 21st century, we are also stepping into a world of major changes and adjustments. Peace, development and cooperation have become an irresistible trend of the times. Multipolarization, interdependence, science and technology development, and global and regional cooperation are the prime imprints of our age. Our future belongs to the younger generation, but it also defines them. What will happen in the next ten years carries great significance.

China-EU ties offer immense opportunities for growth. The young have all the reasons to live up to the expectation and fully realize the potential of China-EU friendship and cooperation. For the future, I expect greater success in people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe. The China-EU Year of Youth event is a golden opportunity to contribute to the growing strength of our comprehensive strategic partnership.

To conclude, I wish the friendship tree between the Chinese and European young people be evergreen, and I wish the China-EU Year of Youth a crowning success!

The author is China's ambassador to the EU. This article is based on his speech made at the opening ceremony for the China-EU Year of Youth on Tuesday.

(China Daily 01/14/2011 page8)