In 2024, people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States have proceeded with many bright spots. A clear message was conveyed: people on both sides have strong aspirations for deepening friendship.

For China and the United States, two vastly different countries, in-person exchange plays a key role in dispelling misconceptions and deepening mutual understanding. It's a key force in steering one of the world's most important bilateral relations on the right track.

2024 marks a fruitful year for Sino-U.S. in-person exchanges. Representatives from the Chinese and U.S. tourism industry gathered in China's Xi'an in May, calling for efforts to seek more potential and remove barriers to facilitate cooperation. At the U.S.-China Sister Cities Summit held in the U.S. in July, participants agreed that sister-city relationships allow the two countries to build bridges of friendship and cooperation that transcend borders.

Once people from China and America engage in direct contact, they will realize that their similarities outweigh the differences.

2024 also witnessed the tours of China's giant pandas to the U.S. and U.S. artists to China. These activities allow Chinese and American people to share and appreciate each other's happiness and joyfulness. Nearly 15,000 American young people have visited China this year since China pledged to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit in the five years starting 2024. For many of them, it was their first time visiting China. Many other exchanges and activities also took place.

For China-U.S. relations, the hope lies in the people and the foundation rests with the people. In December, China introduced more convenience measures to encourage increased interaction between the two peoples, including significant improvements in visa policies on travel to China.

Although progress has been made, uncertainty and headwinds from the U.S. side still exist. Over recent years, the tough-on-China rhetoric has distorted America's conception of China, negatively affecting the healthy development of bilateral relations.

One byproduct of this scenario is that the pro-China forces in the United States seemed to have been isolated. This puts pressure on those who want to promote Sino-U.S. in-person exchanges, and normal communications and exchanges between the two countries have been substantially restricted.

Efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges and improve bilateral ties must come from both sides, as the two countries have huge room for cooperation in student exchange and tourism.

By witnessing and feeling firsthand, people can dismantle ideological barriers. The 2,500-year-old Confucian proverb says, "It is such a delight to have friends coming from afar." China has welcomed and will always welcome Americans with its doors wide open.

China's desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged. It is hoped that the U.S. side will meet China halfway in people-to-people exchanges and remove as many existing barriers as possible.

As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has put it: China and the United States can together solve all of the problems of the world. He did not shy away from the huge potential in terms of cooperation between the two countries.

The incoming U.S. administration is hoped to make the right choices and work with China to facilitate people-to-people exchanges so that the long-standing friendship between their peoples could generate greater gains for both sides.

A stable, sound and sustainable Sino-U.S. relationship always serves the two countries' shared interests, and people's call for friendship should be answered seriously and sincerely.