Youths hold the key to a better Sino-US future

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Celebrating this occasion, Chinese and US leaders sent messages to the 14th China-US Tourism Leadership Summit held in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. Leadership summits such as these, especially when bilateral ties are strained or facing severe challenges, provide much needed opportunities for people-to-people exchanges, which are vital to reducing misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding, misperception and even fear are often based upon unknowns. With our world becoming more complex and complicated by the day, we need to eliminate those unknowns with global understanding and friendship now more than ever before. Helping to address this challenge, the recent steps taken by China could help clear the unknowns.

It is estimated that only 2 percent of the world's population has traveled beyond their countries' borders. At the same time, an increasing number of people throughout the world are realizing that we are stronger together. By collectively leveraging our knowledge and resources through better collaboration, we can all play an important role in solving global problems ranging from climate change and poverty to health issues.