The U.S. portion of the event, „Prelude to the Spring Festival Gala: The World Watches Together CMG Gala,“ was held Tuesday at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington.

President of China Media Group Shen Haixiong recalled that 55 years ago, a small ping-pong ball opened the door to mutual understanding between the peoples of China and the United States, creating the remarkable story of „a small ball moving a big ball“. Ten years ago, during a visit to the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping encouraged American students at Lincoln High School to travel more to China, adding new confidence and momentum to the friendship between the two countries. Today, the CMG gala to celebrate Chinese New Year in the sign of the horse, carrying the warmth and lights of countless homes, is building a cultural bridge connecting the emotions of people around the world.

Shen said the „Prelude to the Spring Festival Gala“ event is being held for the third consecutive year, and more and more Americans have the opportunity to learn about Chinese culture through celebrating Chinese New Year and watching the gala. He expressed his hope that this event will help create a brighter future for Sino-US relations and contribute to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said that China-US relations face new opportunities and a number of challenges. He said the two countries should follow the diplomatic guidance of their top leaders, keep bilateral relations on track, appropriately address differences and remove obstacles to the development of cooperation. He also stressed the need to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen ties between the people of the two countries through friendly contacts.

Xie also recalled that the Spring Festival symbolizes the return of spring, the melting of ice and snow, and the rebirth of all life. He said the two countries should deepen people-to-people contacts, strengthen public support for their relations and bring more „spring warmth“ to them in the coming year and in the future.

President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Yang Wanming said that President Xi Jinping has stressed that the hope of Sino-US relations lies in the people. He pointed to the long-standing ties between Tacoma and China and expressed his hope that watching the CMG Gala together will promote mutual understanding between the two civilizations.

Consul General of China in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin recalled that thanks to the personal attention and support of President Xi Jinping, Fuzhou and Tacoma have established a partnership that has become a model of local cooperation between China and the United States. He expressed his hope that the two countries will draw closer to each other in the Year of the Horse, overcome obstacles, deepen mutual understanding through exchanges, and together create a better future for both countries and the world.

Starosta Tacomy Anders Ibsen recalled that Tacoma and Fuzhou officially established a sister city relationship in 1994 at the initiative of Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee. That partnership, he said, laid a solid foundation for a long-term friendship between the two cities and between Tacoma and China. Over the years, he said, friendly exchanges with China have helped expand trade cooperation, deepen cultural ties and foster the development of a number of youth programs.

During the event, 25 students from Lincoln High School performed the Chinese song „In the Fields of Hope“ and the English song „Stand by Me“ to express the best wishes of friendship between China and the United States.

CMG