China and the United States held a series of youth-focused cultural events under the century-old Kuliang theme to highlight ongoing people-to-people friendship. The Kuliang story has symbolized this friendship for over 100 years, reflecting strong bilateral cultural connections [1].
On June 24, 2024, the "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-US Youth Festival" opened in Fuzhou. The event brought together more than 200 American youths and over 300 Chinese youths for cultural and educational exchanges [1]. In his congratulatory letter to the festival, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "Young people are energetic and full of dreams, and the future of China-US relations lies in young people" [1].
Later that year, on December 20, the 2024 Kuliang Forum was held in Beijing with over 150 Chinese and American guests attending. The forum further strengthened dialogue and cooperation between participants from both countries [1].
The cultural exchange continued into 2025 with the "Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-US Youth Choir Festival" held in China during July. This event featured nearly 30 youth choirs and drew over 1,000 teenagers from China and the US, highlighting musical collaboration among young people [1].
Yu Shaoliang commented that the Kuliang story reflects Xi Jinping's leadership in promoting China-US people-to-people exchanges, emphasizing shared cultural heritage as a foundation for friendship [1]. The events provided platforms for young Americans and Chinese to build cross-cultural understanding through music, dialogue, and shared history.
The next major gathering is not yet scheduled, but the series of Kuliang-themed activities have set a rhythm for continued youth engagement and diplomacy between China and the United States.
