China News Service, Hangzhou, September 26. Title: The redwood mentioned at the White House welcome banquet: a national gift tree, half a lifetime of love between China and the United States.
China News Service reporter Wang Yifei
September 25th is the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Hangzhou Botanical Garden, located in the West Lake Scenic Area of Hangzhou, has a lot more visitors than before. A North American redwood tree in the park attracts many visitors to check in and take photos, including many parents who come here with their children.
In 1972, then-U.S. President Richard Nixon paid his first visit to China at the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai, starting the ice-breaking process in Sino-U.S. relations. This was a landmark event in the history of international diplomacy in the 20th century. At that time, Nixon presented several North American redwood and giant sequoia saplings as "national gifts."
54 years have passed, and now this redwood tree in the Hangzhou Botanical Garden, which carries the memory of the "Ice Breaking Journey", is tall and green, with a height of more than 20 meters and a diameter of 30 centimeters.
On September 25, tourists took their children to the Hangzhou Botanical Garden to visit the redwoods. Photo by Wang Gang
On the evening of September 24, local time, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan attended the welcome banquet held by US President Trump and his wife Melania at the White House. After the banquet began, Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech that the redwood tree, a special national gift given by President Nixon, was planted in Zhejiang Province where I worked.
"I am very excited that the friendship between China and the United States is continuing." 93-year-old Lu Hesen worked in the reception team of the Zhejiang Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and was one of the witnesses of the "Icebreaking Tour". He saw President Xi Jinping mentioning redwood trees on TV news, and recalled the story of his own experience with great interest.
The redwood tree is a famous tree species in Nixon's home state of California and is one of the oldest and tallest tree species in the world.
"In January 1972, two giant sequoia and two redwood saplings arrived in China first. The saplings were 4 feet to 6 feet tall. Based on the fact that the saplings have certain requirements for the growing environment, after comprehensive consideration, everyone felt that it was more suitable to plant them in Hangzhou." Lu Hesen recalled.
Considering that the saplings require technical personnel to take care of them, we initially decided to plant them in the Hangzhou Botanical Garden. At that time, someone suggested: "We accepted the gift from Nixon, and we always let him see it when he comes to Hangzhou." Therefore, three saplings were planted in the Hangzhou Botanical Garden, and a redwood tree was planted on the path that Nixon must pass when visiting West Lake Huagang Park.
On February 26, 1972, the weather was fine. Accompanied by Premier Zhou Enlai, Nixon came to West Lake in Hangzhou.
"While passing through Huagang Park, the receptionist from Hangzhou specifically informed Nixon that this was where the redwood trees were planted." Lu Hesen remembered clearly that Nixon looked at the redwood trees and smiled happily.
On September 25, Lu Hesen showed a schematic diagram of the location of the redwoods presented by President Nixon. Photo by Wang Gang
That day was also "the luckiest day in life" in the words of Hangzhou native Hu Ningfang.
When she was a 10-year-old girl, she was playing in Huagang Park with her family and happened to meet the two leaders. In a photo from that time, Premier Zhou Enlai was holding Hu Ningfang's hand with a smile on his face, and President Nixon bent down to communicate with her up close.
Hu Ningfang said that it was around three o'clock in the afternoon, and she saw the two leaders walking slowly from a distance. "We were still about ten meters away. Premier Zhou already stretched out his right hand, walked quickly to me, and held my hand. His big hand was very strong."
Later, the two leaders chatted with Hu Ningfang about their daily life. "How old are you?" Premier Zhou Enlai asked kindly.
"I was a little nervous at the time, so I answered '10 years old' in a low voice, still speaking in Hangzhou dialect. The Prime Minister didn't hear clearly, so he asked me again. My mother reminded me to speak louder, so I said '10 years old' again in Mandarin." Hu Ningfang said.
Premier Zhou Enlai never let go of her hand, "Oh, people from Hangzhou!"
Hu Ningfang also shook hands with Nixon and his wife. Nixon said a few words, but the shutters of reporters nearby kept coming and she could not hear the translation clearly.
The exchange that day was not very long, but then the scene of Nixon happily talking to the little girl in Hangzhou quickly spread to the world.
Today, Hu Ningfang, who works as a dance teacher, has retired. She would often go to Hangzhou Botanical Garden and Huagang Park to see the redwood trees. She would take a photo with the redwood trees every time. She would also tell stories about her experiences to her son and students from time to time.
"I feel that I am particularly lucky. Because of my childhood experience, I pay special attention to the exchanges between China and the United States, especially people-to-people exchanges, which are very important bridges. Many years ago, I went to watch the Philadelphia Orchestra perform in Hangzhou. This year, the story of the reunion between Sykes and Yin Yuzhen is also very touching." Hu Ningfang said.
On September 25, Hu Ningfang showed photos of herself as a child when she met Premier Zhou Enlai and President Nixon. Photo by Wang Gang
Since the redwood trees were planted in Hangzhou in 1972, its story has never stopped.
In 1982, when Nixon visited China again, he made a special trip to Hangzhou to see the redwood trees again. He told everyone that redwood trees can live for 2,000 years, and the friendship between the people of China and the United States should last forever like the redwood trees.
According to statistics, for decades, the "descendants" of redwood trees have grown and multiplied in more than 20 provinces (cities) in China.
During the Fifth World Conference on Biosphere Reserves last year, Hangzhou held a special event to commemorate the Nixon Sequoia tree, the tree of Sino-US friendship, called "The Love of Sequoias Passed on from Generation to Generation" at the Hangzhou Botanical Garden. U.S. representatives, Americans in Hangzhou and Chinese representatives were invited to review history, plant soil and trees, and convey the belief in peace and cooperation.
On September 25, at the Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Hangzhou citizen Ji Qianning told children the story behind the redwood trees. She said: "This redwood tree has witnessed the two countries walking together and blessing each other. I hope that the friendship between the two countries will continue. I believe that the Chinese people and the American people both long for a better life. Both countries have their own dreams. We wish them well and ourselves."
On the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion day, the mountains and seas hold hopes. More than fifty years have passed, and the story has been told for a long time, but it could be even longer. (over)
