Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 28th - On June 28th, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the "Bond with Kuliang" China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum.

Xi Jinping said that in 1992, he invited Mrs. Gardner to visit Kuliang and helped her fulfill her husband's dream of returning to his hometown. More than 30 years have passed, "Bond with Kuliang" and friendly people from all walks of life from both countries have revealed the history of Kuliang, actively spread its culture, and made unremitting efforts to deepen mutual understanding and positive communications between the Chinese and American peoples. 

Xi Jinping expressed that he was delighted to receive letters from the members of Kuliang Forum, and had learned more touching stories about Kuliang. Mr. Lin En, 103 years old, who has taken many photos of Kuliang, Dr. Edward Bliss, who left the last words of "I love the Chinese people", and Mr. Mu Airen, who scattered part of his ashes on the Minjiang River... The friendship in Kuliang once again proved that the Chinese and American people can completely overcome the differences in social system, culture, and language to establish a profound friendship.  

He emphasized that the friendship between nations lay in mutual trust between the people. The foundation of the development of national relations lay in the people of the two countries. He hoped everyone could inherit and carry forward the stories of Kuliang and the friendship, so that the friendship between Chinese and American people would be like the  old willow trees thousand year in Kuliang that could grow and thrive.

The story of Kuliang is a beautiful story that President Xi Jinping personally promoted between Chinese and American people. In 1901, infant American Milton Gardner came to Fuzhou, China with his parents to live. In 1911, the whole family moved back to the United States. Mr. Gardner had always wanted to go back to his hometown in China, but he couldn't do so until his death. With the help of Chinese students studying in the United States, Mrs. Gardner finally learned that her husband's hometown is Kuliang in Fuzhou. In 1992, the secretary of Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee Xi Jinping learned about this touching story in Kuliang and invited Mrs. Gardner to visit China. 

On the 28th, the "Bond with Kuliang" China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, with the theme of "Inheriting the Flame of Friendship and Creating a Better Future". It was co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the People's Government of Fujian Province. Some members of the "Kuliang Forum" and other Chinese and American people from all walks of life participated.