Gen Zers discuss China-US Relations in China Daily series Youth Power

BEIJING, Dec. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The seventh episode of the China Daily series Youth Power, titled "Too Big to Fail—China-US Relations in the Eyes of Gen Z", was broadcast online at 8 pm Beijing time (7 am EST), on Thursday, Dec 30.

For the episode, Youth Power interviewed young people on the streets of China and the US and talked about politics, culture, economics, education and other topics. Gen Zers from both China and the US were also invited to sit down and give their views on the China-US relationship.

"I think the future is really in our hands. We really need to like one by one work towards a certain way, because if we do nothing, then nothing's gonna happen. And if we hold back and stay how we are now, we're gonna stay in the same situation or make it worse. I think we all have to take a progressive thinking. And it's not just towards US-China relations. It's the relations with the whole world." claimed Amy Nicole, a student in Tsinghua University.

Yuan Ziyi, 21, a junior student at Fudan University in Shanghai, compared the relationship to that of a married couple always bickering with one another. "The youth of China and the US should both shoulder the responsibility of building a community of a shared future for humankind." Yuan said.

Ouyang Liaoxin, 22, a postgraduate at Shanghai International Studies University, said: "So if I have to say one sentence to those people with hostility against China, I would say that fear comes from ignorance. It could be expensive or complicated for you to actually come to China, but what you can do is to hear our voices, listen to what we are saying, listen to what we're saying right now."

Perhaps not surprisingly, they did not see eye to eye on some issues, but one thing they did agree on was that China and the US depend on one another, that it is in both their interests to work together and that being at loggerheads can only be harmful to them and the world as a whole.

Dylan Austin Walker, 25, who is studying at Beijing Language and Culture University, had some words of advice for young people in the two countries. "The future of China and the US, for a large part, rests on the shoulders of Chinese and American youth. Only when we unite and put the common interests of our nations and people together will we be able to create healthier China-US relations."

Peter Joseph Scheuer Jr, a student at Tsinghua University, told of his playing with the US youth table tennis team and his studying and training at Tsinghua. "I will do my best to make it through the trials to be on the US team for the World Championships and the Olympic squad," he said.

Miriam Frank, 26, a lecturer at Renmin University of China in Beijing, has traveled to nearly every province in China since 2013. She noted that we should not be closed-minded to other cultures, especially if we were able to understand another culture and to communicate with the people of that country could really help improve certain aspects.

If one compares China and the US to two ships on the world's mighty oceans it is not hard to see Generation Z as young sailors on these ships - sailors who will one day take the helm. One thing these sailors have in common is unbridled enthusiasm and optimism. The world may not know exactly what course they have plotted, but it is hoped that they will be a worthy match for the toughest weather and the tallest waves that the human race will encounter.

Youth Power is an online program developed by China Daily since June, conceived with the interests and ideals of Generation Z in mind, and aims to provide an insight into the perspectives of young people on the state of the world and where it is heading, encouraging them to think about issues and motivating them to play their role in making the world a better place. The previous six episodes attracted more than 700 million views.

SOURCE Youth Power