Double Celebration for Cross-cultural Communication--Chinese Embassy Presents 2020 Chinese National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival Online Celebration Week

2020/10/02

To celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese Embassy in the United States presented an Online Celebration Week on the Embassy’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts between September 25 and October 1. Ambassador Cui Tiankai delivered remarks on the Reception and Concert held on October 1. Former US President Jimmy Carter sent a congratulatory message. Mr. Neil Bush, Chairman of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, and Mr. Samuel Mok, Chairman of the US National China Garden Foundation and former Chief Financial Officer of the US Department of Labor, gave video remarks.

At the reception, Ambassador Cui began his remarks by paying tribute to the courageous frontline workers who are still fighting the disease and thanking all the friends, compatriots and students who have given invaluable support to China’s fight against the pandemic. He said, the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 has changed people’s lives and brought unprecedented challenges to the governance of various countries and the whole international governance system. More than ever before, we should put people and life before everything else, follow the guidance of science and show the goodwill and wisdom for solidarity and coordination. More than ever before, we should support and care about each other and get through this together.

Ambassador Cui pointed out that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have, all along, upheld the people-centered philosophy of development and stayed true to our original aspiration to pursue happiness for the people and revitalization for the nation. We have, all along, firmly championed and practiced multilateralism and worked to build a community with a shared future for mankind. We have been firmly opposed, all along, to a new “Cold War” or decoupling, and we are committed to the sound and stable growth of China-US relations.

He stressed that a sound and stable China-US relationship is in the interests of both countries, and it is needed for achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and building a community with a shared future for mankind. China’s policy towards the United States is highly stable and consistent. We are willing to develop our relations with the US with goodwill and sincerity, and the two countries should lose no time in taking bilateral relations onto the right track of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. The Ambassador also expressed heartfelt thanks to our friends who have cared for and supported the development of China and China-US relations and wished them and their families health, happiness and all the best.

Former President Carter expressed best wishes for a joyous Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival in his message. He said that during these trying times, it is important for us to still come together to celebrate, even if virtually. As we continue to encounter unprecedented challenges, events such as this will remain crucial in helping to improve U.S.-China relations.

Mr. Neil Bush, who is also the third son of former President George H. W. Bush, delivered video remarks. He recalled his visit to China last year for the parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and recognized the huge development achievements made by China. He said that we all have benefitted from closer trade relations, cultural exchanges, student exchanges and all of the ways that we've been connecting between the two countries over the past 40 years, and expressed his strong desire to continue to help improve dialogue and understanding and bring our countries together to jointly tackle the humans’ greatest challenges, challenges related to the environment, terrorism and health.

Mr. Mok said in his remarks that he is very proud of China's tremendous contributions to human civilization over the last 5000 years and the contribution American Chinese have been making over the last 300 years. The success of the government of the People's Republic of China in lifting hundreds of millions of citizens from abject poverty and in elevating China to the second largest economy are achievements unmatched in human history. American Chinese will continue to play an important role as a stabilizing force to keep the US-China relationship on an even keel and to help propel and pilot both nations to calm waters.

The Online Celebration Week, which started on September 25, features a video themed on Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival every day. It was kicked off by a virtual tour of the Chinese Embassy, where diplomats took the audience to see and experience the Chancery building, an architectural masterpiece of Mr. I.M. Pei, and appreciate the treasures in the Chancery as well as the Chinese cultural traditions and philosophies behind its exquisite layout and design.

On the second day, over 60 young Chinese and American musicians from more than 10 American universities presented a virtual concert together with their classmates, teachers and friends, bringing warmth and kindling hopes with their illustration of art.  

The third day carried My China Story, a documentary about four Americans in China: Peter S. Crosby, a cyclist; Lois Conner, a photographer; Liu Heung Shing, a photojournalist; and Max Horne, a Harvard freshman.

On the fourth day, Chinese and American students shared with the audience their experience of studying in each other’s country as international students and the friendships forged between Chinese and American youths in the process.

The fifth day highlighted heartwarming stories in the Chinese and American people’s joint fight against COVID-19. Collected in My China Album 2020, they champion the spirit of solidarity and mutual support.

The sixth day put the Embassy chefs and their gourmet mooncakes in the spotlight. Their teaching show of making snowy mooncakes and crispy meat mooncakes calls up the essence of the Mid-Autumn Festival: reunion and harmony.

The Online Celebration Week culminated with the Reception and Concert on the seventh day, where famous pianist couple Lang Lang & Gina Alice Redlinger, Udi Bar-David & Chen Jiebing of Philadelphia Orchestra, Polar Star Wind Quartet of China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the Dong Xi Music Duo and Shanghai Chinese Orchestra unveiled wonderful performances for the audience.

The week-long celebration has attracted a large number of American audience as well as compliments and positive comments from them. They believed that these events increased their knowledge and understanding of the Chinese Embassy, China and China-US relations and gave them better perception of the cultural exchanges between the two countries and the friendship between the two peoples.