Young diplomats join hands
10/1/2005 7:37
A record number of exchange programs between Chinese and foreign young
people unfolded in 2004, marking a larger role for youngsters as informal
diplomats.
"There were more than 100 exchange programs in 2004, involving
some 3,000 foreign youngsters visiting China and 1,000 young Chinese traveling
to countries throughout the world," according to a representative of the Central
Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, one of the country's major
mass organizations for young people.
Exchanges between Chinese and foreign
youngsters are a good way for them to participate in world affairs, said China's
youth leader, Zhou Qiang, the first secretary of the league's Central
Committee.
In 2004, some of the youth exchange programs coincided with the
celebration of important anniversaries between China and other nations.
For
instance, 2004 marked the 55th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations
between China and Russia, and the presidents of the two countries proclaimed it
"Friendship Year for Chinese and Russian Youth."
Young people from both
nations held 15 activities throughout the year, including a knowledge contest
about Russia, a youth leaders forum and exchange visits.
In addition, the
Chinese and Russian youth leaders signed a letter of intent that spelled out
future cooperative initiatives.
Chinese youngsters also advanced ties with
their Romanian counterparts, marking the 55 anniversary of relations between the
two countries. A Romanian delegation of 58 young people was invited to China,
where they met President Hu Jintao.
"The China-Romania friendly relations can
be traced back to when I was a kid," said Yang Huaijing, a Chinese entrepreneur
attending a China-Romania Youth Festival. "Now it is time for young people to
build and pass on this friendship."
Some youth exchange programs were
initiated to discuss issues of common concern for youngsters everywhere.
In
june, nearly 100 young people from 25 member nations of the Asia-Europe
Conference gathered in China to embark on "a journey through aquatic
civilization." By traveling along and conducting research on the Yangtze River -
the longest in China and the third-longest in the world - the young people
reached consensus on protecting rivers and voiced their shared determination to
promote environmental protection initiatives.
Chinese youth also discussed
with foreign youngsters issues such as HIV-AIDS control and prevention, business
startups, employment, health care and globalization.
Xinhua
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