汇涓滴细流，聚磅礴力量 让中美关系的源头活水涌动不息

Pool small drops into a mighty river and inject constant impetus into China-U.S. relations 

——谢锋大使在中美青年人文交流主题活动上的致辞

— Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Xie Feng at the event on promoting China-U.S. youth exchanges

尊敬的奥特里女士，周海莉女士，米切尔总学监，

格林主席，福斯特主席，倪频会长，

各位老朋友、新朋友：

Ms. Elisa Autry,

Ms. Holly Zardus,

Superintendent Antoinette Mitchell,  

Chairman Jeffrey Greene,

Chairman Adam Foster,

Chairman Ni Pin ,

Friends old and new,

晚上好！热烈欢迎来自全美各地的青年朋友和各界友人，大家围绕中美青年人文交流畅谈经历、展望未来、集思广益，具有重要现实意义。

Good evening! To start with, let me extend a warm welcome to all of you coming to our Embassy from all over the United States.

At this event, you shared your personal stories, and pooled wisdom for a brighter future of China-U.S. youth exchanges. This is much needed today. 

虽然时值隆冬，但与朝气蓬勃的青年朋友欢聚一堂，我们却感受到扑面而来春的气息；与长期支持中美友好的老朋友畅叙友谊，又向我们传递了夏的热情；盘点中美青年人文交流的累累硕果，更让我们感受到秋的收获。

Although we are meeting in winter, I can sense the freshness of spring with so many young friends joining us, the vigor of summer as I see a lot of old friends who have long supported China-U.S. friendship, and also the abundance of autumn as we review what has been achieved in youth exchanges. 

去年11月，习近平主席在旧金山宣布，“未来5年愿邀请5万名美国青少年来华交流学习”。为此，中方专门设立了“美国青年使者交流学习计划”，简称YES项目。

In November last year, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco that “China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years.” To implement the initiative, China has set up a YES program — the Young Envoys Scholarship. 

一年来，习主席多次寄语青年、发出热情邀约，美各界倍受鼓舞、反响热烈，北至华盛顿州、南至得克萨斯州，东至纽约州、西至加利福尼亚州，从卡斯卡德小学，到马斯卡廷中学、林肯中学，再到哈佛大学、普林斯顿大学，来自全美各地的青少年积极参与，迄今已有1.4万名美国青少年赴华交流学习，创下不少人乘飞机、出国门、去中国等人生中的第一次，搭建了两国青年相知相亲的有效平台，打开了感知了解中国的重要窗口，谱写了中美人民友好的崭新篇章。

Over the past year, President Xi invited the American youth to visit China on multiple occasions, which was warmly received here in the States.  

From the state of Washington to Texas, from New York to California, from Cascade Elementary School to Muscatine High School and Lincoln High School and to Harvard University and Princeton University, students from around the States have actively participated. So far, about 14,000 young Americans have been to China for exchange or study under the initiative. For many of them, it was their first time taking a flight, going abroad and visiting China. The initiative has provided an effective platform that brings our youths closer, opened up an important window for better understanding China, and ushered in a new chapter of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.

很多美国师生给习主席写信，汇报中国之行的感悟，一个个鲜活的故事让人感动。这是中美青年双向奔赴的友谊故事，大家同场竞技、同唱民谣、同种友谊林，分享兴趣、苦恼和梦想，围绕教育健康、科技创新等广泛议题面对面交流，结下了将持续一生的友谊。

After returning from China, many American teachers and students have written to President Xi to share their stories during the trip.These are stories of our youths reaching out to each other. They played basketball friendlies, sang together folk songs, and planted trees of goodwill. They also learned about each other’s hobbies, challenges and dreams, and discussed a wide range of topics including education, public health and scientific innovation. For them, this could be the start of a lifelong friendship. 

有美国青年说，在中国参加夏令营的第一天中美学生分别坐在宿舍一边、像油和水一样分明，最后一天两国青年坐在一起有说有笑，你中有我、我中有你。微信好友从5个增加到70多个，大家约好一定要常联系、再见面。

An American student recalled that, on the first day it was like oil and water, with the American students sitting on one side of the room and the Chinese on the opposite. But by the end of the camp, you could see Americans sitting with Chinese kids laughing, making jokes and all in all having a good time. Another American student said the number of his friends on Wechat grew from five to over 70, and they promised to stay in touch and see each other again. 

这是中美友好生生不息的传承故事，美国青年体验中国文化、品尝中国美食，用毛笔写下自己的中文名字，骑车穿越北京中轴线，深入乡村调研“精准扶贫”，多维度感受古老文明的现代脉动，友谊的种子就此生根、发芽。

These are also stories of our friendship being carried on from generation to generation.The American youth got an immersive experience of Chinese culture, tasted Chinese cuisines, learned to write their Chinese names with an ink brush, cycled along Beijing’s central axis, and did research on China’s targeted poverty alleviation policy in the rural areas. All along the way, they have taken the pulse of the both ancient and modern Chinese civilization from multiple dimensions, and sown seeds of goodwill.

40年前曾赴华留学的美国教授“老步”带着儿子再次访华，将他介绍给中国老朋友的下一代，“小步”立志将投身绿色发展，两国人民的友谊之树不断开花结果，两国青年面向未来的合作令人期待。

Among the teachers visiting China was Professor Thomas Buoye (from the University of Tulsa), who studied in China 40 years ago. This time, he took his son to Beijing and introduced him to the sons and daughters of his old friends there. During the trip, young Thomas developed a keen interest in green development and decided to pursue further studies in the field. 

It is inspiring to witness the tree of goodwill between our two peoples continuing to flourish, and it is even more exciting to see our young people coming together for a better future.

各位朋友，

Dear friends,

中国人常讲，“读万卷书，行万里路”。170多年前，容闳远渡重洋、赴美留学，开启了中美青年学子的交流互鉴。80多年前，美国“飞虎队”飞赴世界反法西斯战争的东方主战场，与中国军民并肩作战、共护和平。美国记者斯诺奔赴中国延安，将自己的所见所闻忠实介绍给世界。

As a Chinese saying goes, “Do not just read thousands of books; travel thousands of miles also.” Over 170 years ago, Yung Wing sailed across the vast Pacific to become the first Chinese student studying in the United States, opening the door for mutual learning between our youths. Over 80 years ago, the American “Flying Tigers” headed to the battlefield in China in the World Anti-Fascist War, to fight for peace side by side with the Chinese people. American journalist Edgar Snow travelled all the way to Yan’an, sharing the true story about China to the world. 

上世纪70年代，中美关系的大门重新打开后，约240万中国留学生来美深造。他们不仅助力中国现代化建设，也为美国带来巨大经济收益和大量科研人才，为人类发展进步作出了独特贡献。

Since our two countries reopened our doors to each other in the 1970s, around 2.4 million Chinese students have come to study in the United States. They have not only played a part in China’s modernization drive, but also brought huge economic benefits and a wealth of science talents to the United States, and made unique contributions to human progress. 

过去几年，两国青年人文交流遭遇逆风逆流，但在双方共同努力下，我们还是听到不少令人鼓舞的好消息。中美直航航班增至每周100班，费城交响乐团访华巡演10天里举办了9场音乐会。

While such people-to-people exchanges have come under some headwinds in the past few years, good news keeps coming with our joint efforts. The number of direct flights between our two countries has increased to 100 per week. The Philadelphia Orchestra held 9 concerts in its 10-day tour across China. 

美国国务院将赴华旅行提醒降至二级，大熊猫“宝力”“青宝”下月将在华盛顿国家动物园同大家见面，赴华签证手续更加高效便捷，参与YES项目的美国学生可获得免费的5年多次访问签证，越来越多美国青少年在“5年5万”倡议感召下、乘着赴华144小时过境免签的东风访问中国。

The U.S. Department of State has downgraded the China travel advisory to level 2. Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao will meet the public at the National Zoo next month. Applying for a visa to China is easier and takes less time. In particular, American students who are part of the YES program can get a five-year F visa with multiple entries for free. Encouraged by the “50,000 in five years” initiative and the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, many young Americans have embarked on a journey to China. 

但坦率讲，这些还远远不够。我们应该继续排除干扰，冲破“寒蝉效应”，反对开历史倒车，团结一致向前走，为两国人文交流铺路架桥，让中美关系的源头活水涌动不息。

Frankly speaking, though, these are still far from enough. We need to continue removing disruptions, stay undaunted by the chilling effect, oppose any backpedaling, and move forward hand in hand, so as to build more bridges for people-to-people exchanges and inject constant impetus into China-U.S. relations. 

各位朋友，

Dear friends,

当今世界变乱交织、充满挑战，同时也拥有新的发展机遇和进步前景。中美关系再次站在何去何从的十字路口。

We are living in a turbulent and fluid world where challenges abound. But at the same time, it also brims with new opportunities for development and progress. The China-U.S. relationship is again at a crossroads. So where should it be heading?

习主席明确表示，中方致力于中美关系稳定、健康、可持续发展的目标没有变，按照相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢处理中美关系的原则没有变，坚定维护自身主权、安全、发展利益的立场没有变，赓续中美人民传统友谊的愿望没有变，充分展现了中国对美政策的稳定性、连续性，也为动荡不安的世界注入了确定性、正能量。

President Xi Jinping has made China’s stance clear: our goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged. Our commitment to handling the relationship in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation remains unchanged. Our position of resolutely safeguarding our sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged. And our desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged. 

This has fully shown the stability and consistency of China’s policy toward the United States, and has also brought certainty and positive energy to this volatile world. 

希望美方同中方相向而行，加强对话沟通，妥善管控分歧，拓展互利合作，走出一条新时期中美正确相处之道。

We hope the U.S. side will move with us in the same direction, enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and find the right way for our two countries to get along in the new era. 

世界的未来属于青年，中美关系的希望寄予青年，希望两国青年接过历史的接力棒，为中美关系稳定、健康、可持续发展挺膺担当。

The future of the world is in your hands, and the hope of China-U.S. relations lies in you. I encourage you to take up the baton of history, and stand up to your responsibility for fostering a stable, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship. 

我愿向美国青年朋友提三点希望：一是做树立正确认知的先行者。用自己的脚步去丈量、用自己的眼睛去观察、用自己的心灵去感悟，坚持独立思考，打破思维定势，形成客观理性的“中国观”。

I hope you will be pioneers in developing a right perception toward each other. Travel the expanse of China with your own feet. See the country with your own eyes. Feel it with your heart. Think independently, break out of the box, and form an objective and rational view of China.

二是做推进对话合作的践行者。欢迎更多美国青年参与到“5年5万”倡议中来，同中国青年成为好伙伴、好朋友，两国高校通过多种形式加强交流合作，让涓涓细流汇成浩瀚江河。

I hope you will be doers in advancing dialogue and cooperation.We welcome more young Americans to be part of the “50,000 in five years” initiative, and be partners and friends with your Chinese peers. We also encourage universities in both countries to enhance exchanges and cooperation in various forms, so that drop by drop, our efforts will merge into a mighty river.

三是做共创美好未来的开拓者。与中国青年携手应对气候变化、人工智能等全球性挑战，为建设和平、发展、合作的世界贡献青春力量。

I also hope you will be trailblazers in making the world a better place. We count on you, side by side with your Chinese peers, to jointly tackle global challenges such as climate change and AI, and contribute your wisdom to building a world of peace, development and cooperation.

最后，让我们一起对中美交流合作说YES，对中美人民友好说YES，对中美青年美好未来说YES！

So in that spirit, let’s together say YES to exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States, say YES to our peoples’ friendship, and say YES to a brighter future for the youths in both China and the United States!

谢谢大家。

Thank you very much.