FRIENDSHIP FLAME MAINTAINED

Today, the MacInnis legacy flourishes in its third generation. Elyn's daughters Ai Zhong and Ai Hua — both names meaning "loving China" in Chinese — speak fluent Chinese thanks to their years of education in Chinese schools. Ai Hua even pioneered as one of China's first bilingual TV hosts.

The sisters now live in the United States. Ai Hua oversees dual-degree programs at a US university, including collaborations with Chinese universities. She utilizes her Chinese language skills to communicate with and provide assistance to Chinese students enrolled in these programs.

This family's decades-long bond mirrors a hopeful future for China-US people-to-people exchanges. The foundation of China-US relations lies in the people and the source of strength lies in the friendship between their peoples.

China has announced its plan to invite 50,000 American youth to visit and study here in the course of five years, hoping that through firsthand experience, they can discover a real China while contributing to China-US friendship.

"True connection is everything," Elyn said. "We only really understand each other when we've spent some time together."

Now settled in Rhode Island, Elyn stays connected with her Chinese friends via WeChat and makes time to see them whenever she visits China. In recent years, she likes sharing her views on the verses of famous Chinese writer Bing Xin, who was born in Fuzhou and pursued studies in the United States when she was young.

Inspired by a renowned line, she concluded acceptance of her Orchid Award by saying: "When we walk along the path of friendship, the flowers bloom."