China and Germany youth bridge the divide

The year marks the onset of a new 50-year chapter in the diplomatic relationship between China and Germany. Over the past seven years, China has emerged as Germany's largest trading partner, while Germany continues to be the principal source of foreign investment and technology transfer within the European Union for China.

A recent episode from China Daily's Youth Power series, titled "Taicang Talks: Empowering Gen Z in China-Germany Relations", featured young individuals from both countries engaging in discussions about their nations and how the youth can contribute to mutual cooperation.

The choice of Taicang, East China's Jiangsu province, as the setting for this program was no coincidence. The city, with a population slightly exceeding 800,000, has become home to nearly 500 German companies, marking a fruitful collaboration that started three decades ago.

Leopold Lind, a young German speaker and a student at Tsinghua University in Beijing, noted that Taicang epitomized the harmonious fusion of Chinese and German cultures by celebrating the presence of authentic German bars, restaurants, and kindergartens. He also cited the city's 18th Oktoberfest beer festival held in September.

"Taicang really puts a focus on German workers and German employees who are living here. It's about making them feel at home," Lind said. "Foreign culture isn't just welcomed here — it is celebrated as a part of the beautiful symbiosis that exists between China and Germany."

Lind also noted Germany's reciprocation in cultural exchanges by embracing Chinese influences, highlighting the growing popularity of Chinese cuisine in the country, with numerous Chinese restaurants serving a diverse range of authentic dishes.

Just as in China, Germany is also renowned for its philosophy. Stefanie Perner, a freshman from Germany at Tsinghua University, drew parallels between the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and the Chinese philosopher Wang Yangming (1472-1529). Wang's theory that "nothing exists beyond the mind" closely resembles the idealism that Kant espoused.

Perner added that existentialism and the concept of the "Übermensch", or "over-human", of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) also resonated with some of China's great minds, such as writer Lu Xun (1881-1936), thereby emphasizing the universal nature of philosophical thought.

"Philosophy is one of the fundamental aspects that shape our national thinking," said Wang Licheng, a Chinese student at Peking University and the program's host, stressing the universality of philosophical thought, a precept that transcends cultural and national boundaries.

Wang also pointed out that Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), a prominent educator and one of Peking University's former principals, was greatly influenced by the German approach to education, which contributed to the establishment and renovation of the educational system at his university.

However, it's important to note that the educational systems of the two countries differ significantly. For example, Lind commended the broad and diverse subjects offered in the Chinese education system, praising its capacity to broaden students' worldviews, while the German system features vocational training schools with early specialization.

"There are pros and cons to each system," he said. "But as someone academically interested in many subjects, I appreciate the Chinese education system for its diversity."

But Lind and Maximilian Uebach, a German student at Tongji University in Shanghai, both agreed that life experiences and practical skills held more weight in the working world than degrees.

"Not everyone is suited for an academic career," he said. "People are shaped by their past experiences, and a degree is essentially just a piece of paper. Your ability to work is based on what you have genuinely learned, not on the grades or degrees you have.

The conversation then touched upon stereotypes, with the participants humorously sharing their preconceived notions of each other. The Chinese participants believed that Germans were punctual, prudent, and meat-eaters, while the Germans playfully associated Chinese people with ping-pong, kung fu, and hard work.

Johanna Mueller, a German student at New York University Shanghai, confessed that she, at least, lived up to the German stereotype of punctuality. "I was stressed to be on time, but all my other international friends are like, chill. When they go and buy something to eat and drink, I'll be standing there and thinking: we have only 10 minutes left. Please hurry up," she chuckled.

He Haiying, a Chinese student at Peking University, shared her personal journey of breaking the stereotypes she used to have about the German language. She once thought it was cold and intimidating, but later learned to appreciate its nuances and the importance of accurately translating works between the two languages.

"While reading Die Verschollene, written by Franz Kafka (1883-1924), the Chinese version was so confusing that I eventually lost interest in the work. I believe it would be a true shame for those who don't speak German to miss out on these beautiful works or misunderstand the authors' intentions," she said.

This also led her to consider the equal importance of making Chinese literary works accessible to foreigners. "I've taken a course in translating the ideas of socialism with Chinese characteristics into German and wish to contribute to further cooperation between the two countries through more precise translations," she added.

Wang pointed out while many people do tend to learn about another culture with the most significant characteristics, sometimes they might be wrong. "Things are changing. What you understand about a different culture may be outdated nowadays," he said.

Shattering misunderstandings is precisely what young people from different cultural backgrounds should be doing at this moment. "In spite of disparities in our values, we can still be friends with each other and communicate happily," said Du Muqin, a sophomore at Peking University.

Lind emphasized the importance of curiosity. "Curiosity leads to action," he said. "Since you're curious, you go out and make friends, and you come to places like Taicang. By being inquisitive about our future, we also inquire about our roles within it. And by exploring our roles, we shape our future."