China-US cultural exchanges ring out in Washington

With music filling the National Mall and the US Capitol as a backdrop, Chinese and US artists gathered on Saturday for the "Future Resonance — ShanghaiEye Night" people-to-people exchange event.

Part of the "Shanghai Let's Meet" city promotion initiative, the program brought together artists, young people, business representatives and community leaders from China and the United States for an outdoor gala and dinner at the Mayflower Hotel. Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng and Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee were among the guests.

The gala featured traditional Chinese arts, contemporary works and Western classics, with performers including Chinese instrumentalist Fang Jinlong and Huangmei Opera artist Han Zaifen.

The program also included Peking Opera, excerpts from Carmen and La Traviata, and music from the Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong, performed by Lin Wei, Jin Ziqi, Zhang Zheng and the Manhattan Philharmonic. It concluded with 40 members of the One Voice Children's Choir singing We Are Together.

Speaking at the dinner, Xie said the event, held days after President Xi Jinping's state visit to the US, reflected vibrant cultural exchanges between the two countries.

"While our two countries have different histories and cultures, that is no reason for estrangement, but rather an impetus to celebrate our diversity," he said.

Xie highlighted the importance of people-to-people and youth exchanges. Building on the completed "50,000 in five years" initiative, President Xi has invited 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchanges and study over the next five years, he said.

Shanghai plays an indispensable role in friendly China-US engagement, Xie said, noting that Shanghai Media Group serves as an important bridge for cultural exchanges. Maryland, he added, is "a pioneer in bilateral subnational interactions and 'pickleball diplomacy'".

Xie cited US teacher Ronald Sakolsky and Chinese desert control worker Yin Yuzhen as an example of what people-to-people cooperation can achieve. Sakolsky secured $5,000 from a US charity to buy 50,000 saplings, which Yin nurtured for more than two decades.

"When two individuals from our two countries join hands, the impossible becomes possible. Just imagine: If more people come together and our two countries move in the same direction, what bigger miracles can we create?" Xie said.

"With the eight deliverables achieved during our presidents' summit and a series of mutually beneficial arrangements reached between the two economic and trade teams, we are witnessing brighter prospects for China-US cooperation," he said.

Also speaking at the dinner, Lee said the cultural, artistic and musical events bring the US, Maryland and China closer and can foster further cultural and youth exchanges.

Maryland established a sister-state relationship with Anhui province in 1980 and renewed it last year. "While government diplomacy is so very important, equally so is people-to-people diplomacy," Lee said.

At the dinner, Xie also presented awards to individuals and organizations for contributions to China-US business ties, people-to-people exchanges, social responsibility, and youth and cultural exchanges.