Zhang Guoxiong on China-U.S. People-to-People Exchanges: Everyday Scenarios Help Eliminate Stereotypes

Zhang Guoxiong, vice president of the Chinese Society of Overseas Chinese History, recently said in Beijing that the key to peopletopeople exchanges between China and the United States lies in longterm, direct communication, and that more natural, everyday forms of interaction often move people more effectively. He pointed out that, looking back at history, overseas Chinese have always been an important link in peopletopeople exchanges between China and the United States, and have participated in the development of the American West, railroad construction, and the growth of fields such as agriculture and fisheries. These historical facts have already gained some recognition in official and academic circles in the United States, but their reach in American society remains limited. Therefore, the related narrative needs to be more closely aligned with the trajectory of U.S. local development, helping more ordinary people understand the historical basis of exchanges between the two countries. Zhang Guoxiong also mentioned that in recent years, China's visafree transit policy has boosted the popularity of "China travel," and exchanges between Chinese and American internet users on social media platforms have also allowed more Americans to come into contact with real, concrete scenes of life in China, changing some existing impressions. He believes that when communicating with the new generation of Chinese American youth in the United States, one should respect their upbringing environment and cognitive differences, avoid stereotyped preaching, and use more youthfriendly forms such as digital technology experiences to gradually strengthen their understanding of and identification with China.