"You are here with the gift of young life, which, like the
morning star, shines with hope for the unborn day of your country's
future," said Chinese President Hu Jintao quoting Rabindranath Tagore, a famous
Indian poet, during his stay in New Delhi in November.
Addressing 200 youth representatives from India and China, he
encouraged his audience to foster bilateral friendly relations in
the future.
This year has witnessed the largest ever number of youth
exchanges between China and foreign countries. Over 100 exchange
programs took place in 2006, involving about 2,500 foreign
youngsters visiting China and with around 1,000 young Chinese
visiting the world, according to the Central Committee of Communist
Youth League of China (CYLC).
"As an important part of people-to-people diplomacy, Chinese
young people's exchanges with foreign youngsters are positive in
enhancing mutual understanding and friendship in order to push
ahead state-to-state relations," said Jiang Guangping, who is in
charge of CYLC international affairs.
"Young people play a vital role in developing friendly relations
between two countries," said Liu Jiangyong, professor from the
Beijing-based Tsinghua University. "Youth exchanges help to carry
out the goal of building a harmonious world, a concept the Chinese
president put forward at the 2005 UN Assembly."
A 100-strong Russian youth delegation came to China this year to
attend a forum on China-Russia youth friendship.??
Four hundred young French people in art, commercial, social and
scientific fields came to China, the largest and first of its kind
between China and any western European country.
The year 2006 also marked the 50th anniversary for Sino-Japanese
exchanges between young people and a series of exchange activities
were held in both countries.
Tanimoto Tatsuya, a Japanese official who participated in these
activities, said he would actively promote dialogue and exchanges
between young politicians of the two countries.
Liu believes that the future development of state-to-state
relations depends on inter-personal interaction, especially between
young people.
"Only if the young people get to know each other better and
clear up any misunderstandings, bilateral ties will progress, and a
harmonious world can be achieved," he said.
Some 500 young people from Pakistan and India will have a chance
to visit China in the next five years.
"Youthful vigor and dynamism are the most powerful resource in
forging ahead friendly relations between two countries," Liu said.
"The future of the world rests on young people who will decide the
development of a nation's long-term strategy."
(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2006)
