At the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in China, Shen Shiwei, Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute, international news Editor and Columnist on current political issue of the China Global Television Network (CGTN), attended on behalf of the Charhar Institute an event held at the U.S. Embassy in China for honoring 40 years of people-to-people exchange between China and the U.S. on September 19^th . 

Terry E. Branstad, U.S. Ambassador to China, delivered an opening remark at the event. He noted that people-to-people exchange is an important part of the China-US relations and an important driving force for building a better world. 

Ambassador Branstad speaks at the event.

In his speech, the Ambassador also recalled his own experience on people-to-people exchange between Iowa State of the U.S. and Hebei Province of China while he was former Iowa State Governor years ago.

And he expressed his expectation for strengthening people-to-people exchange and cooperation between China and the U.S. in the future.  

The event, which was attended by people of all walks of life from both China and the U.S., featured an exhibition which showcased many precious photographs and exhibits on people-to-people exchange between China and the U.S.. 

Photos and exhibits at the event

Many of the photographs and exhibits were from witnesses or participants of the China-US people-to-people exchange activities or events. Among them, there were photos of former US President George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush riding bicycles in front of the Tiananmen Tower while Bush served as the Director of the United States Liaison Office in China from 1974 to 1975 and also photos taken during Deng Xiaoping's visit to the United States as Deng was former Vice Premier of China.     

Showcase at the event

In the past 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. in 1979, the people-to-people exchange between the two countries, which aimed to enhance mutual understanding of people of the two countries, has played an important role in the development of the China-US bilateral relations.

More than 5,000 Chinese citizens have taken part in the academic, cultural, sports or other professional exchange programs in the U.S. in the past 40 years, including the iconic Fulbright Program, and the International Visitor Leadership Project (IVLP).  

Copy Editor: Zhu Yanhong