Source: School of Chinese as a Second Language
Written by: Wang Xiaole
Proofread by: Liang Jianxin
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

The three-day 2014 China-US Young Leaders Symposium (CUYLS) concluded in Shanghai on September 11. Arian Saghafi, a senior student learning Chinese at School of Chinese as a Second Language, Sun Yat-sen University, was invited to attend the symposium as a representative of young students. In the sub-forum on globalization and the Internet generation, Arian Saghafi gave a report entitled "A Brief Look into the Internet and its Impact on the Globalization of Mass Media", introducing the differences between Chinese and American networks as well as the advantages and disadvantages of globalization of mass media.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Education of China, CUYLS was hosted by Overseas Chinese Charity Foundation of China, Institute for China-US People-to-People Exchange of Peking University, Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation, Shanghai International Culture Association and the 100,000 Strong Foundation in the United States, and undertaken by School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University.

With the theme "Youth as Bridge: Learning, Experience and Connection”, CUYLS invited former United States President Jimmy Carter, former Chinese Ambassador to the United States Li Daoyu and former Vice Chairman of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese Tang Wensheng to deliver speeches and share their ideas with young students. The participants also included outstanding Chinese and American students recommended by national key universities as well as excellent students from previous sessions of the China-US outstanding youth training program. 60 students submitted papers on four topics: globalization and the Internet generation, community construction and public participation, economic development and technological life, environment and climate change.

Arian Saghafi from Indiana, USA, used a Chinese idiom “huo yi liang duo”, which means “benefit a lot”, to describe his feelings of participation. He is living in Guangzhou with his wife and daughter and learning Chinese in School of Chinese as a Second Language at SYSU. At the symposium, he exchanged ideas with other American students. All of them agreed that they’ve gained a completely different understanding of China after arriving in this country. In his opinion, it is of great importance to enhance communication and understanding and promote friendship between both sides.

"We can help each other and benefit greatly from a good relationship between China and the US. So I hope more and more Americans can come to China and have a look at what China really is,” said Arian. He wholeheartedly supported the “100,000 Strong Initiative” to send 100 thousand American students to study in China.