[Commentary] On April 20, local time, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang visited the small town of Muscatine, Iowa, to visit the "China-US Friendship House", and to visit local friendly people such as Sarah Randy.
[Explanation] Before the meeting, Qin Gang and his party came to the "China-US Friendship House" located at 2911 Bonney Street, Muscatine.
He wrote in the guest book, "Let's spread more seeds of Sino-US friendship together."
This is the residence where Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhengding County Party Committee of Hebei Province, stayed in Iowa in 1985. It later became the first memorial hall in the United States with the theme of Sino-US friendship.
[Concurrent] Qin Gang, Chinese Ambassador to the United States
The seeds of friendship sown by President Xi Jinping 37 years ago have taken root, sprouted, blossomed and bore fruit in Iowa.
Let us sow more seeds of China-US friendship together.
[Commentary] Qin Gang met with Sarah Randy, Luca Veron, Joni Axel and other friendly people that day.
He said that the more difficulties and challenges China-US relations face, the more we must maintain confidence and cultivate trust.
I believe that with the joint efforts of the two peoples, no force can prevent us from deepening mutual understanding, deepening friendship and strengthening cooperation.
[Commentary] Qin Gang said that state-to-state relations are, in the final analysis, between peoples, and I hope you will continue to work on promoting educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
After the epidemic, all old friends are welcome to visit China again, and encourage those around you, especially the younger generation, to study, work and live in China, and tell the American people the story of friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation between China and the United States through their own feelings. We will inherit this precious friendship, play the positive role of friendship messengers, and make more contributions to promoting cooperation with China.
[Commentary] Randy and Veron said that the ambassador's visit to Muscatine and meeting with everyone showed the importance he attached to the friendship between the people of the United States and China, which encouraged us and sent a positive message to all walks of life in the United States.
It is the sincere expectation of the American people that US-China relations remain stable.
[Commentary] Near the end of the meeting, Randy took out a wooden box carefully crafted from Iowa walnut, which contained his memoir of "Old Friends: The Story of Xi Jinping and Iowa" and a letter, please Qin Gang handed it over to President Xi Jinping.
Qin Gang took the wooden box and said that we should continue to write a new chapter of the friendship between the Chinese and American people, and make this book of friendship thicker and thicker.
[Commentary] When meeting with Chinese and American reporters later, Qin Gang said that this is my first visit to Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota since I took office in the United States. mutual trust.
Through this trip, I was able to have extensive contacts with people from all walks of life in the central and western regions, visit old friends, meet new partners, and promote the resumption of exchanges between the two countries that were interrupted by the epidemic.
I feel that the folk customs in the Midwest of the United States are simple, the people are warm and friendly, and there are many people who support China-US cooperation.
[Explanation] He emphasized that as long as the people of the two countries continue to strengthen exchanges, mutual understanding, trust and unity will be enhanced, and they will not be deceived by rumors and false information.
Friendship is the best vaccine against a political virus. Iowa's cooperation with China over the years has proven that China-US mutually beneficial cooperation is promising.
[Concurrent] Qin Gang, Chinese Ambassador to the United States
Sino-US relations are inherently mutually beneficial.
We should step up our efforts to promote the development of China-US relations through mutual trust and cooperation.
Let us prove with more actions that making win-win cooperation a real "political correctness".
[Commentary] Randy also said that we need to jointly create opportunities for young people to travel between the United States and China, so that the people of the two countries can live in harmony.
Barriers can only be eliminated when people come together, and we look forward to more exchanges.
The presence of the ambassador here today also shows that both of us are eager for face-to-face opportunities.
[Commentary] Qin Gang and Randy also witnessed the signing ceremony of Wanxiang Company's donation to the Muscatine China Friendship and Cooperation Committee on the same day.
Relevant projects will fund local middle school students to study in China.
Reporter Wang Fan Chen Mengtong Producer Zhou Jing
Responsible editor: [Chen Wentao]