Nearly three decades later, Ronald Sakolsky, a former participant in the U.S.-China Teachers Exchange Program, returned to China. His encounter with Yin Yuzhen blossomed into a friendship that has lasted for decades.

In our exclusive interview, Yang Jun, vice president and secretary general of the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), expressed the hope that every seed planted through educational and cultural exchanges will one day grow into friendships that transcend borders, distance, and time.

He also extended a warm invitation to young Americans interested in visiting China, saying that "there has never been a better time" to come to China.