On the morning of June 22, the library hall on Jiaojiang Campus was filled with a warm atmosphere, brimming with youthful energy and friendly spirit, as Taizhou University held the opening ceremony of its “Doolittle Raid and Hehe Culture” China-U.S. Young Envoys Scholarship (YES) Program. Attendees included Le Chuanyong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Taizhou University Committee and President; Li Jianjun, Vice President and member of the CPC Taizhou University Committee; Li Ling, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Taizhou Municipal Committee; Huang Qiaoqiao, Deputy Director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Taizhou Municipal Committee; Wang Bei, Deputy Director of the Taizhou Foreign Affairs Office; Chen Haiming, Deputy Director of the Taizhou Municipal Education Bureau; Xu Hongzhi, Second-Level Researcher of the Taizhou Municipal Archives; Wang Aiqin, Acting Director of International Exchange and Cooperation Department of TU; and Wang Huiyan, founder of Happy Travel Company and CEO of Meihua Media. All American campers, outstanding Chinese youth volunteers, faculty and student representatives on campus, and all conference staff gathered together—in the name of youth to honor a cultural engagement, and with friendly hearts to build bridges of exchange—jointly witnessing the opening of this grand event that spans mountains and seas, connects China and the United States, and weaves together history and culture.
President Le Chuanyong delivers a speech
Wang Huiyan delivers a speech
The ceremony officially commenced with melodious and warm music. President Le Chuanyong delivered an enthusiastic welcome speech. He pointed out that this China-U.S. youth program is an important practice of the university in actively implementing the national initiative of “bringing 50,000 American young people to China for exchanges over five years.” It is not merely a youth exchange, he said; it also carries the precious historical memories and profound friendship forged when the Chinese and American people shared hardships and supported each other during the Doolittle Raid more than 80 years ago. He earnestly encouraged all participants to look back on history, experience the culture, and deepen friendship during this study tour, to observe each other through the eyes of youth, and to connect China and the United States with a bridge of hearts.
Wang Huiyan then delivered remarks, thanking all sectors for their support and expressing the hope that the event would promote cultural exchange between the two countries. She recalled with deep emotion the rescue history of the Doolittle Raid, pointing out that it stands as a symbol of the friendship forged in blood between the two peoples. As a Taizhou native living away from home, she said she was proud to promote her hometown’s culture and hoped that the American youth would experience the charm of Chinese civilization first-hand. She encouraged the young people of both countries to serve as “little ambassadors of friendship” to enhance mutual understanding, and wished the summer camp a complete success.
Camper representatives and volunteers deliver remarks
American youth representatives spoke in turn. Rosie Emma Besco of Arizona State University sincerely thanked the Chinese side for launching the initiative to invite American students to visit China, and expressed gratitude to the Chinese embassy and consulates in the United States and to people from all walks of life who helped make the trip possible. She hoped the students would use the trip to deepen their understanding of each other’s cultures and return with vivid stories worth remembering for a long time. Emily Ying Jia, a Chinese American high school student from Maryland, said she finally had the opportunity to visit in person the Jiangnan water towns and major economic centers she had long yearned to see while attending Chinese school, enabling her to touch China’s past while witnessing its present and future. On behalf of all the campers, she expressed sincere thanks to the organizers and staff.
Following that, Zhu Xinya and Guan Zixuan, representatives of the outstanding Chinese youth volunteers, took the stage with confidence and delivered heartfelt remarks. They said they were deeply honored and proud to take part in this meaningful China-U.S. exchange activity, and hoped to use it as a bond so that young people from the two countries could treat each other with sincerity and connect heart to heart, making this cross-border, two-way youth journey the most cherished memory of each other’s lives.
Li Jianjun presents the themed camp flag to American camper representatives
Wang Bei presents “China-U.S. Exchange Envoy Honor Certificates” to American camper representatives
Chen Haiming presents “Outstanding Volunteer” certificates to outstanding Chinese volunteer representatives
Li Jianjun presented the themed camp flag of the “Doolittle Raid and Hehe Culture” China-U.S. Young Envoys Study Camp to representatives of the American campers. The vibrant camp flags unfurled and fluttered in their hands, symbolizing the official handover of the exchange mission and the launch of a youthful journey. Wang Bei then presented “China-U.S. Exchange Envoy Honor Certificates” to the American camper representatives—the honor recognizing their commitment and the certificate conveying the mission, encouraging the young envoys to serve as communicators of culture and practitioners of friendship. Chen Haiming also presented Outstanding Volunteer certificates to representatives of the outstanding Chinese volunteers, paying tribute to the volunteers’ selfless dedication and youthful sense of responsibility, and commending them for advancing China-U.S. exchanges through enthusiastic service and showing the vitality of youth through concrete actions.
Huang Qiaoqiao presents the cultural reader “A Different World in Taizhou” to American camper representatives
Xu Hongzhi presents the historical volume “The Great Life-and-Death Rescue: The Doolittle Raid and Taizhou” to American camper representatives
Huang Qiaoqiao then presented the cultural reader A Different World in Taizhou, and Xu Hongzhi the historical volume The Great Life-and-Death Rescue: The Doolittle Raid and Taizhou, to representatives of the American campers. These two precious books—one showcasing Taizhou’s scenic landscapes and rich cultural heritage, the other commemorating historic feats and bonds forged through adversity—opened a vivid window for American youth to understand Taizhou and gain insight into China from both cultural and historical dimensions, carrying forward historical memory and regional culture through exchange. Afterward, all attending officials, American delegation leaders, and representatives of the American campers walked forward in turn and solemnly signed the commemorative scroll “Harmony of Mountains and Seas, Walking Together for Peace.” Where the ink fell, minds connected; on the long scroll, friendship was witnessed. All guests held the scroll together for a group photo. Taking art as the medium and the mountains and seas as witnesses, they pledged a shared vision for Chinese and American youth to safeguard peace and walk forward hand in hand, capturing a precious moment of cross-border unity and shared harmony.
Signing of the Commemorative Scroll “Harmony of Mountains and Seas, Walking Together for Peace”
Artistic Performance
After the ceremony concluded, the atmosphere grew even more joyful and lively as a spectacular China-U.S. cultural and artistic performance took the stage, using art as a bridge to make mutual learning between civilizations shine. Chen Lingyu of Sanmei High School stepped onto the stage with elegant grace and gave a heartfelt performance of the classic guzheng piece “Ding Feng Bo.” With fingers gliding across the strings, the notes resonated—sometimes as clear as a mountain spring, sometimes as steady as a pine—fully displaying the classical beauty and refined spirit of traditional Chinese folk music. Xin Yue, an international student from the International School, and Liang Zhen, a student from the School of Art and Design, sang the classic song “You Raise Me Up” with deep emotion. Their sincere, mellow voices and the warm, moving melody transcended language barriers, touched the hearts of the audience, and resonated with all teachers, students, and campers present. Zheng Lin of Churchill High School in the United States delivered a magnificent Chinese martial arts performance. Every movement blended strength with grace and motion with stillness; his punches were sharp and his posture agile, vividly demonstrating the profound, time-honored heritage of Chinese martial arts and the national spirit of unremitting self-improvement. The performance drew round after round of applause and pushed the atmosphere to a climax. Chinese and American arts blossomed together on stage; tradition and modernity shone side by side, and musical grace and martial spirit complemented each other. This vividly interpreted the true meaning of harmony—“each beauty in its own way, and all beauties in harmony”—enabling Chinese and American cultures to spark through exchange and build consensus through mutual learning. The performance concluded successfully, and all leaders, faculty and student representatives, Chinese and American campers, volunteers, and performers took the stage together, lined up with smiles, for a group photo—freezing this beautiful moment of friendship spanning mountains and seas.
Group Photo
