On June 24, 2024, the “Bond with Kuliang”: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival (hereinafter referred to as the “Youth Festival”) kicked off in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Youth Festival, encouraging the youth of both countries to “have in-depth exchanges, deepen friendship, understand each other and build closer bonds, work hand in hand to carry forward the China-U.S. friendship to contribute to the sound and steady growth of China-U.S. relations, and work with people around the world to build peace, promote progress and create prosperity”.

This event was co-organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the People's Government of Fujian Province, and the All-China Youth Federation, with PUMCH co-organizing the medical youth exchange session. The exchange session was attended by 11 outstanding youngsters from PUMCH and 12 from U.S. institutions such as the University of Michigan Medical School, the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University.

On the afternoon of June 24, Chinese and American youngsters visited Kuliang. They also shoveled soil and planted trees of friendship together and then carried buckets to water them.  

On the morning of June 25, the PUMCH team attended at invitation the Youth Dialogue “Building Bridges and Bonds” run by the China-United States Exchange Foundation and had animated exchanges with participants. Feng Bin, Deputy Director of Orthopedics Surgery at PUMCH, Amit Jain, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins University, Shruti Aggarwal, CEO of Horizon Eye Physicians, and Charles Yu, Spine Surgeon at Ochsner Health, shared their insights and strongly affirmed the necessity of China-U.S. medical exchanges. Their speeches were all well-received among the attendees.

Themed “carrying forward the bond of Kuliang and deepening friendship”, this Youth Festival invited around 500 youngsters from various sectors in China and the U.S. and designed a series of activities around topics such as China-U.S. connections, the diversity and inclusiveness of the Chinese culture, and climate change. This is the largest and most diverse youth exchange event since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. It is also a milestone event that echoes President Xi Jinping's major initiative proposed in 2023 to invite 50,000 American youths to China for exchanges and learning programs over the following five years. PUMCH’s participation speaks volumes about its initiative to contribute to the diplomatic endeavors of China. In the following days, the PUMCH team will participate in multiple events of the Youth Festival and organize medical exchange seminars. After the Youth Festival is concluded, some U.S. doctors will visit PUMCH for academic exchanges with some of its departments.

Amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. The century-old Kuliang story is a perfect case in point about the friendly exchanges between the people of China and the U.S. PUMCH will fully capitalize on it to carry forward the bond over Kuliang and deepen friendship. In particular, it will strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and American medical youths, contributing its share to a “better future” for China-U.S. relations.

Written and pictures courtesy of the International Collaboration Office

Edited by Chen Xiao and Wang Jingxia

Translated by Liu Haiyan

Reviewed by Wang Yao