It has been four months since I arrived in New York, and in that time, I have embarked on a journey filled with warmth, discovery and connection. Everywhere I go, I am met with the genuine goodwill of the American people and a shared aspiration for a better future – one that unites us despite the distance between our countries.
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This year, I had the privilege of celebrating my first Spring Festival in New York, after the holiday’s inscription to Unesco’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I joined the New Year countdown in Times Square, rang the market bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange and watched the Empire State Building illuminate in Chinese red.
Joined by American friends, we enjoyed the mesmerising New York debut of a poetic Chinese dance performance at Lincoln Centre and the enchanting Lunar New Year concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra, whose musicians – fresh from a 10-day tour across China – spoke eloquently about how music transcends borders and sustains the over-half-a-century friendship between our two sides.
During my visit to a 100-year-old Flying Tiger veteran, he held my hands and said with deep emotion, “China does not forget its old friends. To live in peace and to give future generations a better life – that is the dream of all people.” At Kean University, I met students who had just returned from China, eager to share stories of collaborating with their peers in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, and reminiscing about the unforgettable “China taste” they experienced at local restaurants.
These moments make me realise the real glue of China-US relations is people. It’s artists performing across the Pacific, students studying abroad and tourists sharing stories that build real understanding. When people connect, walls of misunderstanding start to crumble and trust begins to grow. In a world where headlines often focus on differences, these personal ties serve as a powerful reminder of shared aspirations and the countless ways China and the US can learn from each other.
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Though I may not be the most tech-savvy person, I recently joined RedNote and downloaded DeepSeek to better understand the digital world of the younger generation. Scrolling through these apps has become part of my daily routine, and I am inspired by the sincere and heartwarming exchanges I encounter.