STORY: American, Chinese youth revive Kuliang spirit
SHOOTING TIME: June 24, 2024
DATELINE: June 25, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:59
LOCATION: FUZHOU, China 
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival"
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZAC RICHARDSON, System analyst from the U.S.
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MIRA VANCE, American student from Yenching Academy of Peking University
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): LIAM RINEHART, Graduate from University of Southern California
5. various of "Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival"
6. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): CHRIS CHEETHAM-WEST, Entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas

STORYLINE:

"Bond with Kuliang: 2024 China-U.S. Youth Festival" opened on Monday in Fuzhou, east China's Fujian Province. More than 200 American youth and over 300 of their Chinese counterparts attended the event.

The week-long event, themed "Inheriting the bond with Kuliang and deepening friendly relations," invited young people from all walks of life in both countries to attend around 50 activities, including round table discussions, concerts, and sports events.

Kuliang, known as Guling in Mandarin, was a popular summer retreat for foreigners, including many Americans, who lived harmoniously with local Chinese residents from the 1880s onwards. In 2016, Elyn MacInnis established "Friends of Kuliang," a group gathering about 50 descendants of American families who once lived in Kuliang.

This year's youth event, embodying the spirit of the "Friends of Kuliang," has provided a platform for young people from both countries to fully communicate, exchange ideas and enhance their friendship.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZAC RICHARDSON, System analyst from the U.S.
"When I was really young, I lived in Beijing until 2007. So I felt kind of connected to China. And when I was really young, I spoke Chinese pretty well. So it's been quite nice getting to come back and try to reconnect with that, because it also feels very new."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MIRA VANCE, American student from Yenching Academy of Peking University
"It's very interesting to hear speeches and perspectives from people today. I think that this sort of opportunity is a great way for young people to exchange, to grow connection, to exchange perceptions, I think. So it's been really interesting and I'm looking forward to the rest of events."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): LIAM RINEHART, Graduate from University of Southern California
"This is my first time in China. And so far, I think my biggest impression or the biggest takeaway from my trip to China has been meeting so many young university students and getting to talk with them. It's been really interesting because it seems like we all have a lot in common. I think we all really place a high emphasis on education, quality of education and family. 
I think exchanges like that are really important. And I think more of them would help more people make new friends in different countries."

After the opening ceremony, participants from both countries planted trees of friendship on the mountain of Kuliang and visited the historic residences of foreigners who lived there in the last century.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): CHRIS CHEETHAM-WEST, Entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas
"We just planted a tree right here. It was well. My wife and I put in some work and then it's good to see that once we come back to visit, it still gonna be here and it gonna grow, continue to grow over time.
I just heard about it a few months ago. My friend told me about the program and I read up on it. My wife and I read up on it, and it was such an amazing story, how the bond can go for so long, so many years and how we can continue to connect with the U.S. and China."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Fuzhou, China.
(XHTV)