In 1977, the resumption of the national college entrance examination (or gaokao in Chinese) after the tumultuous era of what is referred to as the “Cultural Revolution” (1966-76) marked a seminal moment in China’s history. It was against this stirring backdrop that my life as a young, ambitious 15-year-old student was about to undergo a dramatic change.
Choosing English as my major in college, an unconventional choice at the time, marked the beginning of my journey into the unfolding dynamics of China-United States relations. This decision, seemingly modest but essentially profound, placed me in a unique vantage point from which to observe the intricate interplay of diplomacy between the world’s two major countries.
Breathtaking breakthroughs
My inaugural voyage to the U.S. in 1984, when China was just six years into its journey of reform
