Xi Jinping tells the story of friendship between the Chinese and American people at the welcoming state banquet in the United States

Xinhua News Agency, Washington, September 25th. On the evening of the 24th local time, President Xi Jinping revisited the story of the friendly exchanges between the Chinese and American people at the welcoming state banquet hosted by US President Trump. He mentioned a good story in particular, "More than 20 years ago, an American named Sycos funded Chinese sand control worker Yin Yuzhen to plant trees. Not long ago, the old man returned to China and saw with his own eyes that the desert back then had turned into a lush forest."

"This story touched many Chinese people and is an example of friendly exchanges between the people of China and the United States." President Xi Jinping emphasized.

On August 24, after 26 years, "Saikos" (left) returned to Mu Us Sandy Land and worked with Yin Yuzhen to water the newly planted saplings. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Sun Ruibo

"I'm so excited!" Sekos (real name Ronald Sakolski) said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters for the first time.

"President Xi and President Trump extended a hand of friendship across the ocean, which is what I have been looking forward to." Sykos said that the meeting between the heads of state of China and the United States sent a positive signal to the world, and "the United States and China should establish good relations."

In 1999, Sykos, who was teaching in China at the time, learned about Yin Yuzhen's deeds of taking root in the desert and planting trees. He was deeply moved and raised US$5,000 to support desertification control. Yin Yuzhen used the donation to buy more than 50,000 saplings to plant, and named the forest "Saikaoslin".

In late August this year, Sekos returned to China and reunited with Yin Yuzhen. During this trip, the two once again worked together to plant a "friendship tree" in the Mu Us sandy land. Sycos visited Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Henan and other places this time. Before returning to the United States, he hugged Yin Yuzhen tightly and shed tears. He said: "The bridge between China and the United States will eventually be built brick by brick by the people of the two countries." After returning to the United States, Sykos also planted two "friendship trees" in his yard.

In his speech at the state banquet that night, President Xi Jinping also mentioned a tree of friendship: "The redwood tree, a special national gift from President Nixon, was planted in Zhejiang Province where I worked."

In 1972, when then-US President Richard Nixon visited China, he presented California redwood saplings to the Chinese people. Over the past 50 years, redwood trees from across the ocean have grown into trees in the Hangzhou Botanical Garden, and have been successfully introduced in some provinces and cities in China.

This is a redwood tree that symbolizes Sino-US friendship, taken on June 10, 2013. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Huanzong

“The tree of people-to-people friendship has grown up and will surely withstand the ups and downs.” “Let the friendship between the peoples of China and the United States thrive like the thousand-year-old cedar trees on Guling.” President Xi Jinping has repeatedly used trees as a metaphor to express his wish for the friendship between the peoples of China and the United States to move forward.

Planning: Li Zhongfa Han Mo

Reporters: Zhang Dailei, Xiong Maoling, Liu Si, Huang Aiping, Meng Jing

Coordinator: Sun Hao, Zheng Kaijun, Wang Yachen