阿拉上海后花园论坛的预约方式

At Guling (Kuliang), a mountain retreat in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, where American and Chinese families once lived as neighbors, the stories shared by the "Kuliang Friends," a group founded by descendants of American families who once lived in Kuliang, and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation reveal a century-old bond that transcends time and politics. Against the backdrop of today's complex China-US relations, their legacy offers a powerful lesson: Only through dialogue can friendship be nurtured.

Memories of touching stories

Recently, a story-sharing event of the " Kuliang Friends" was held in Kuliang, bringing together people from both sides to share precious historical photographs, books and materials, recounting stories that highlighted the power of cross-cultural understanding, respect and resonance in today's complex world.

Margaret Carmichael, a descendant of Lydia Trimble, shared the story of Trimble at the event. Trimble grew up poor in Canada and decided to become a missionary in China. At 24, she set sail for China, determined to fit in. She promised never to speak English to the Chinese and learned the local dialect, as well as Putonghua. Traveling across villages, she found many girls lacked education, so she taught them five powerful words: "I can and I will."

Within a few years, Trimble helped open many schools and trained local women to become teachers. She founded Hwa Nan College in Fuzhou, one of China's first schools for young women. She spent 50 years working there and later wrote, "I love the Chinese people. I am Chinese."

Thomas Hemenway, also a member of the "Kuliang Friends," visited Minqing county in Fuzhou on July 13 to trace the footsteps of his ancestor, Dr Ruth Hemenway. Touching the weathered bricks at Minqing Liudu Hospital, Thomas said, "I'm so proud and excited to stand where my ancestor once served."

In 1924, 30-year-old Ruth Hemenway traveled from Massachusetts to China, becoming the hospital's second director. She introduced advanced medical techniques, expanded facilities and brought modern amenities like running water, electricity and telephones - a rarity in rural Minqing at the time. Under her leadership, the hospital also pioneered surgical procedures in the region.

A heartfelt moment occurred when Thomas met Huang Yao, the granddaughter of Huaxing, a Chinese girl whom Ruth had adopted. For years, Huang Yao had pieced together fragments of family history, longing to reconnect with Ruth's American relatives. Across the Pacific, Thomas had also been searching. Over a year ago, they found each other online, sharing stories buried by decades. "It's like a dream," Thomas said.

The "Kuliang Friends" was founded in 2016 by Elyn MacInnis, a tireless advocate for China-US people-to-people ties. Over the years, MacInnis has collected more than 200 historical photographs, over 100,000 words of archival materials, and built the first English-language website dedicated to Kuliang. She also helped identify people in old photographs using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and reconnected descendants of families who once lived in the village, media reported.

In recognition of her contributions, MacInnis was honored with the Friendship Envoy Award of the 2025 Orchid Awards in Beijing. Upon receiving the award, she said, "I have spent much of my life building bridges of friendship between China and the US. The bridges are not made of steel or stone — they are built from warm, kindhearted people," reported China.org.cn.  

At the event in Kuliang, MacInnis reflected on China-US exchanges, saying "I think it's a wonderful continuation of a long story. It's only when we have dialogue that we can be friends."

'Together, the Americans and the Chinese win'

Upon the gathering of Chinese and US delegates in Fuzhou, Global Times reporters spoke with Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, who shared touching stories of the Flying Tigers who helped the Chinese people fight the invading Japanese troops in the 1940s. 

On December 20, 1941, the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, led by US General Claire Lee Chennault, successfully defended Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, downing several Japanese bombers and halting further attacks there for a year and a half. Greene, also a descendant of Flying Tigers veteran, recalled. "The Chinese named them Flying Tigers, inspired by folklore symbolizing their invincibility," he told the Global Times. 

Greene highlighted the profound sacrifices made by Chinese civilians to support the American airmen. "You talk to American pilots who were here with the ground crew, and they all talk about the eggs. They remember the eggs 80 years ago. Those were the Chinese villagers who gave up their eggs, even cutting back on the eggs they gave to their children so the American pilots could have them. That's extraordinary," Greene said.

Beyond food, Chinese civilians risked their lives to rescue downed American airmen. Greene noted that over 93 percent of American airmen who landed in China after being shot down were rescued by Chinese locals, despite the threat of Japanese retaliation. These acts of courage and sacrifice forged a deep bond between the Chinese people and the Flying Tigers, making them a symbol of hope and resistance.

"It's a message of great courage. It's a message of sacrifice, and it's a message of love," Greene said. "That remarkable relationship shows that together, the Americans and the Chinese won. It's a voice from history speaking to us, saying that America and China, when they fight for something together, they're going to win. That's what history has taught us."

The Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation continues to honor this legacy through educational programs and exhibitions. The Flying Tiger Friendship School Program, launched last year, brought 70 American students to China in 2024 and plans to bring 200 more in 2025. It also engages Chinese students from 100 top schools through cultural exchanges, video conferencing and historical education. 

"American media often doesn't know much about China, and that has led to misunderstandings," Greene said, noting that the foundation's work aims to share true historical narratives to encourage mutual respect and curiosity. 

"Our [American] kids who come here are very interested in learning and meeting Chinese kids their own age. Once they do that, once they make a friend, they'll say, 'he's not my enemy. I had a good time with him. We drank soda and played computer games together, and we found out how much we're alike.' We have more commonalities than differences," Greene noted. 

When asked to comment on reports that a growing number of foreign vessels have recently flown the Chinese national flag while transiting the Strait of Hormuz to avoid being targeted, and on analysts' views that China's consistent adherence to fairness, justice and win-win cooperation has contributed to the safety of Chinese ships in the Middle East, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said that justice resides in people's hearts. 

China will continue to stand on the side of peace, justice and the right course of history, contributing stability and positive energy to the safeguarding of regional and global peace, he said.

In a heartfelt journey bridging the past and the future, Nauruan President David Adeang returned to his ancestral roots in South China's Guangdong Province from Sunday to Wednesday, reconnecting with long-lost relatives and reaffirming the deep cultural and historical bonds between Nauru and the Pearl River Delta.

According to the China News Service on Wednesday, the four-day visit saw Adeang tracing his family lineage to Zhonggu village in Jiangmen, where his great-grandfather surnamed Situ embarked on a journey over a century ago that would eventually lead his descendants to the Pacific island nation of Nauru. The emotional homecoming, marked by tearful reunions, ancestral worship, and pledges for closer cooperation, underscores the enduring ties between China and Nauru, a Chinese expert said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Adeang, accompanied by his children and grandchildren, sat beneath a sprawling banyan tree in Zhonggu village, sharing lychees and longans with his 81-year-old relative, Tan Huixia.

"It is a tremendous honor to be warmly welcomed in my ancestral hometown alongside my aunt, children, and grandchildren. I sincerely hope to return frequently to visit the land of my roots," Adeang said, according to the media report.

Tan, still remarkably spry, handed him a handful of longans, a simple yet profound gesture of familial affection. "I'm overjoyed to see him," she said warmly, "and hope he can visit more often."

Earlier that day, Adeang and his family visited Su'an Julu, a historic ancestral hall blending Chinese and Western architectural styles, where generations of the Situ clan have gathered for worship and reunions. Climbing the newly restored stone steps, the Nauruan president led his family in traditional rites according to hometown customs - paying solemn tribute to their forebears with profound gratitude - before planting a banyan tree opposite the hall as a living testament to his family's enduring roots, China News Service reported.

At the Situ Clan Library, Adeang looked through the genealogical records and pointed excitedly at his own name upon discovering it.

While touring his hometown, the presidential delegation was greeted by enthusiastic crowds waving and shouting, "Welcome to Jiangmen!" Adeang warmly waved back and captured the town's scenery with his phone as mementos.
A highlight of the visit was Adeang's tour of the China Qiaodu Museum of Overseas Chinese in Jiangmen, where exhibits chronicled the struggles and triumphs of generations of emigrants from Guangdong.

Nauru, often called the "Paradise Island" of the Pacific, lies just 42 kilometers south of the equator. This coral atoll nation has become home to many Chinese immigrants, predominantly from Jiangmen in Guangdong Province and from Fujian Province, who have since become integral to Nauruan society, nfnews.com reported Tuesday.

"As president, I've visited many countries and tasted numerous cuisines, but this journey is truly unique and unforgettable," Adeang said. "I hope to return often and witness my ancestral hometown's continued prosperity."

On Monday, Huang Kunming, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, met with Adeang in Guangzhou.

Huang said that the formal reestablishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nauru last year opened a new chapter in bilateral ties.

"Guangdong and Nauru enjoy close people-to-people bonds and a time-honored history of exchanges. Most Chinese descendants in Nauru, including President Adeang's ancestors, trace their roots to Guangdong," Huang said.

He remarked that Adeang's roots-seeking visit serves as a vivid testament to the blood ties between the peoples and will surely deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

"Within the framework of China-Nauru friendship, we will further facilitate personnel exchanges, consolidate and expand cooperation in infrastructure, healthcare, cultural tourism and other fields, make good use of our abundant marine resources, and explore various forms of cooperation such as joint marine ranching, deep-sea fishing, mariculture, and advanced fishery processing," Huang added.

Adeang reaffirmed Nauru's commitment to the one-China principle and praised China's global initiatives, which he said have garnered strong support across the Pacific. "Enhancing cultural exchanges is vital to our bilateral relationship," Adeang noted.

As Adeang's journey concluded, a Chinese analyst highlighted its broader significance. "This visit is about rekindling kinship and fostering grassroots exchanges," Chen Hong, director of the Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "Shared heritage can be the foundation for sustainable cooperation," Chen said.

According to Chen, historically, many Pacific Islanders maintained close ties with China's Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan regions. Early waves of Chinese migrants settled across Pacific Island nations, followed by generations of entrepreneurs establishing businesses. "These historical connections have created a community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries, forging enduring bonds," Chen said.

Chen remarked that such down-to-earth exchanges hold irreplaceable value in improving Pacific Islanders' understanding of China, noting that future initiatives like ancestral hall restorations and genealogical archives could foster youth exchanges.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministerial events: CCTV news

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, pledging to jointly promote multilateralism and strengthen coordination against hegemonic conflicts and bloc confrontation.

During their meeting at the Elysee Palace, Macron asked Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to convey his best wishes and friendly regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Macron noted that France and China share a broad consensus on numerous important issues, including advocating multilateralism and adhering to international laws. France and China, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, bear even greater responsibilities as today's world is facing challenges of growing uncertainty and unpredictability.

The French side looks forward to strengthening policy coordination with China on international economic, financial, and global governance issues, jointly addressing global challenges, injecting more vitality into multilateralism, and preventing the world from falling into hegemonic conflicts and bloc confrontations, Macron said.

He said the European Union and China should make strategic choices to become each other's predictable and trustworthy friends and partners on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The French side places great importance on developing France-China relations and welcomes more Chinese investment to France to develop a more balanced economic and trade relationship.

He expressed hope to visit China again at an appropriate time.

Wang conveyed President Xi's warm regards to Macron, stating that China is willing to work with France to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, prepare for high-level exchanges in the next phase, and deepen cooperation in all fields.

China and France are comprehensive strategic partners and two major stabilizing forces in the world, Wang noted, stressing that the more turbulent the international situation becomes, the more the strategic value of China-France relations is highlighted.

China believes that the trend of multi-polarization is unstoppable, and the trend of globalization is irreversible, Wang said, emphasizing that the 80th anniversary of the United Nations should be taken as an opportunity to further strengthen the UN's core role and ensure it plays its due role.

He said China is willing to strengthen strategic communication and united cooperation with France, jointly practice multilateralism, oppose unilateral bullying, and resist bloc confrontations, so as to inject more certainty and predictability into a world of change and turmoil, promote equal and orderly multi-polarization and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

He stated that China is advancing toward high-quality development, committed to building a new, higher-level open economic system, creating a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, while actively advancing the strategy of expanding domestic demand.

China is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with France and hopes that the French side will provide a more favorable and fair environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in France, he said.

China and the EU have resolved the brandy issue through friendly consultations, noted Wang, expressing the hope that France, as a core major power in the EU, will urge the EU side to properly address China-EU trade and economic disputes and actively respond to China's concerns.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, the Gaza situation, the Iranian nuclear issue, and other topics.

China on Monday held a ceremony in Beijing to mark the 88th anniversary of the start of the entire nation's resistance against Japanese aggression.

An exhibition themed "For National Liberation and World Peace" was also launched to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Both the ceremony and the exhibition were held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, located near the Lugou Bridge -- also known as the Marco Polo Bridge -- where Japanese troops attacked Chinese forces on July 7, 1937.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a speech at the event and announced the opening of the exhibition.

When Japanese militarists staged the Lugou Bridge Incident and launched their full-scale invasion of China 88 years ago, the Chinese military and people rose up in resistance, initiating a whole-of-nation war effort that opened the main Eastern battlefield in the global war against fascism, said Cai.

Cai stressed that the CPC fought bravely on the front lines of the resistance and set the direction of the national effort, serving as the pillar of the entire nation throughout the war.

United in purpose, the Chinese people fought with unwavering resolve -- for the country's survival, national rejuvenation, and the cause of justice for all humanity, Cai said, adding that they eventually won the war and made a significant contribution to the victory in the global war against fascism.

The exhibition presents a panoramic view of the glorious course of the Chinese people's 14-year hard war of resistance, said Cai, who emphasized the need to carry forward the spirit of the resistance war, strengthen confidence and forge ahead to build China into a strong country and rejuvenate the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization.

He also stressed the significance of making new and greater contributions to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity.

Cai and other leaders joined representatives from all walks of life to present flowers to martyrs of the resistance war. They also visited the exhibition. Around 600 people attended the events.

The exhibition, divided into eight parts with a total area of 12,200 square meters, displays 1,525 photos and 3,237 artifacts.

The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the first to break out and lasted the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War, resulting in over 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties.

In the main Eastern battlefield in the global fight against fascism, China's resistance effort was decisive in defeating Japanese fascism and supporting other fronts in Europe and Asia, profoundly contributing to the final victory and world peace.

The 2025 Trilateral Cooperation Forum was held here on Tuesday, bringing together over 200 in-person participants and hundreds of online attendees to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The annual event, hosted by the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) under the theme "Shaping the Future Together: Trilateral Cooperation under Global Transformation," featured two sub-sessions focusing on regional and global challenges facing the three countries.

The first session examined ways to strengthen trilateral cooperation through strategic and institutional frameworks, and the second session discussed collaboration on aging societies, climate change, carbon neutrality goals, and regional economic integration.

In his opening remarks, TCS Secretary-General Lee Hee-sup highlighted the significance of deepening cooperation among the three nations amid rising geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, and protectionism.

The forum has become an annual flagship event, aimed at raising public awareness of trilateral collaboration and offering insights for future cooperation among the three nations.

China is in the grip of the strongest heatwave of the year, with central and eastern regions enduring extreme temperatures expected to peak from Friday to Saturday. The National Meteorological Center on Friday issued a high-temperature yellow alert, warning that highs could exceed 40 C in parts of Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, and Zhejiang.

Meanwhile, parts of the Sichuan Basin could see heavy downpours, and rainfall in Northeast China will intensify on Friday, according to CCTV News.

Major cities including Jinan, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Nanchang are likely to record consecutive days of scorching heat over the next week, while Hangzhou could hit 40 C on July 6, potentially breaking the city's record for the earliest occurrence of such extreme heat. Even where actual temperatures fall below 35 C, rising humidity across Northeast and North China is expected to push the apparent temperature above 35 C, creating stifling conditions.

Authorities have urged the elderly, children, and other vulnerable groups to avoid going out during peak heat, ensure adequate ventilation indoors, and stay hydrated. Outdoor workers are advised to take regular breaks, carry heat-protection supplies, and arrange schedules carefully to prevent heatstroke, according to the CCTV News.

Meanwhile, the same subtropical high is causing contrasting weather on its periphery. Heavy rainfall has battered western parts of the Sichuan Basin, the Liaodong Peninsula, and several northern provinces. On Friday, extremely heavy downpours hit areas including Mianyang, Deyang, and Chengdu in Sichuan Province.

The National Meteorological Center forecasts continued heavy rain on Friday in the Sichuan Basin and Inner Mongolia's Hetao region, with moderate to heavy showers expected across parts of Northwest China, North China, Southwest China, and Hainan.

Localized rainstorms could bring severe flooding risks to regions such as Northwest China and parts of the Sichuan Basin, with authorities warning residents in affected areas to take precautions.

When commenting on assertions made by former US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell in Wednesday interview with Bloomberg Television, who claimed that it would take "a generation" to diversify some of the US dependency on China for rare earths and other segments of global supply chains, a Chinese expert pointed out that regardless of pace, the very notion of decoupling from China is a departure from the actual state of China-US relations and a misinterpretation of the overall international trend.

Campbell told Bloomberg on Wednesday that it will take "a generation" to diversify some of the US dependency on China for rare earths and other segments of global supply chains. In the interview, he also claimed that doesn't mean Beijing holds the "economic upper hand" over Washington.

"There are certain areas where China could do enormous damage to American manufacturing and high-tech, but it's also the case that the US can take actions that would really impact the Chinese economy," Campbell asserted.

Campbell, who also served as National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific in the Biden administration, attempted to defend efforts made by the previous government to reduce the US economic reliance on China. 

"It turns out that the effort to diversify, in terms of rare earths and other supply chains, is unbelievably difficult,"Campbell admitted in the interview.

Regarding the reckless tariff policy adopted by the current US administration, the former deputy secretary also expressed so-called concern about the targeting of American allies as well as "rivals" such as China as part of Washington's tariff war. "Some of that is not well conceived. I think it has created a lot of confusion," he said. "There is no sense of a longer-term strategy."

Campbell told Bloomberg Television that China and US recognize that they both are "probably the two most interdependent countries economically, commercially, strategically in the world."

While Campbell acknowledges the fact of coexistence, he fails to recognize the necessity of strengthening that coexistence, instead interpreting the situation as a gradual decoupling, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday when commenting on Campbell's remark claiming it would take "a generation" to diversify some of the US dependency on China.

"Given the strong economic complementarity between China and the US, any form of hard decoupling, slow decoupling, or so-called de-risking will ultimately harm both parties," Li said. 

"Only through mutual cooperation can the global economy ensure its health," the expert said.

According to Xinhua News Agency on June 11, during the first meeting of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism held in London with US lead person Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng has said that the US should resolve trade disputes with China through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation.

China reiterates that the US should work with China to honor their words with actions, and demonstrate sincerity in keeping commitments and concrete efforts to implement consensus, so as to jointly safeguard the hard-won outcomes of dialogue, He said.

During the talks, the two sides held candid and in-depth talks, and thoroughly exchanged views on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, Xinhua reported.

In April, Campbell co-authored an article in American journal Foreign Affairs where he warned "the American estimation of China has lurched from one extreme to the other."

In the article, Campbell claimed "after the 2008 financial crisis, and then especially at the height of the COVID pandemic, many observers believed that day had come" when China might "overtake a strategically distracted and politically paralyzed United States." 

But, he continued, "the pendulum swung to the other extreme only a few years later," believing "China would not overtake an ascendant United States." He pointed out that "Washington shifted from pessimism to overconfidence." He warned today's "triumphalism" risks "dangerously underestimating both the latent and actual power of the only competitor in a century whose GDP has surpassed 70 percent of that of the United States."

"The oscillation in US evaluations and characterizations of China does not obscure the objective reality: when the US adopts radical policies towards China, it is often based on misinterpretations of China's intentions and actions, as well as a flawed understanding of the realities of bilateral relations and broader international trends," Li told the Global Times on Thursday. 

The expert noted that American politicians need to cultivate a basic sense of reflection and an ethos of equality in their dealings with China and their understanding of the world so as to create mutually beneficial bilateral ties.

An ordinary rural store in Yantai, East China's Shandong Province, has gone viral online not for its retro decor, but for the 42 swallow nests dotting its ceiling. The owner shared that for over two decades, these little swallows have chirped loudly each morning to wake them up, and flutter back to their respective nests independently by evening.

According to Wang, the store owner, the nests have accumulated over more than 20 years, now totaling 42 in all. 

Over the years, Wang's family and the little swallows have grown close. "They're like friends to us," Wang said, adding that "We coexist in perfect harmony."

At dawn, the swallows chirp like a lively alarm clock, calling the family to open the shop so they can hunt for food. By nightfall, each swallow returns to its nest before the doors close.

"Years ago, there were even more—up to 60 or 70 nests," Wang said, noting how rare such a sight is in the area. "One or two nests are common, but this many are almost unheard of."

Netizens marveled. "This isn't a store at all — it's a swallows' hotel." Another man who discovered the store surprised, "It's incredible!" 

When concerns about cleanliness arose, Wang reassured that these swallows are intelligent and relatively clean. "Even if droppings fall occasionally, we just clean it up — it's no trouble," he said. "We've developed real affection for these little birds."