(Yicai Global) March 2 -- Now a distinguished pediatrician, Dr. Gui Yonghao was a teenager when he played a part in US President Richard Nixon's visit to China 50 years ago. He recalls how important the bridges built over the years have been for both countries.

On Feb. 27, 1972, when Gui was a 13-year-old sixth grader, he accompanied US First Lady Pat Nixon and her entourage during their visit to the Shanghai Children's Palace, a public facility teaching extracurricular courses. They watched various activities, such as dancing and paper cutting.

When the choir sang the well-known American folk song ‘Turkey in the Straw,’ Pat Nixon was surprised and moved. “I saw Mrs. Nixon's eyes turn red,” Gui said, adding that communication between China and the United States was only just starting at that point, so such details meant more.

The visit inspired the students at the Children's Palace to actively learn more about the world and to study foreign languages, Gui said, noting that he also became more determined to learn English. He realized that “if we can use language as a tool properly, it would be very beneficial in introducing our country to the world and promoting mutual understanding among countries.”

As he wanted to become a doctor, Gui enrolled in the Shanghai Medical College at Fudan University. In 1991, with the help of Rosalind Ting, a renowned Chinese-American pediatrician, Gui went to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania and studied there for three and a half years.

Since then, there have been regular visits to China by groups of American pediatric experts. Gui said that China has made remarkable progress in reducing infant and child mortality rates and to increase vaccination rates, with some indicators even surpassing those of the US, much to the surprise of his American counterparts.

After taking a position at Shanghai Medical College, Gui established the Global Health Institute to advance worldwide collaboration in solving shared health problems.

During each Chinese New Year, Gui receives many greetings from friends and colleagues in the US. “It truly makes me feel that the friendship between countries lies in the friendships between people,” he said. This kind of communication “comes from the heart and is very natural, as well as mutually beneficial.”

Editor: Tom Litting