The China Institute honored three people for promoting mutual understanding between China and the United States during the annual Blue Cloud Gala on Thursday in New York.

The awards were presented to Ronald Diamond, vice-chairman of Conair LLC and chief executive of Cuisinart Outdoor; Henry Fernandez, chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley Capital International; and Sheldon Pang, vice-chairman of Freepoint Commodities and chairman of Freepoint Solar, at The Plaza Hotel.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to salute these three honorees for their outstanding leadership and contribution to our society as well as in the social exchange between the American and Chinese people," said George S. Geh, CEO of the China Institute in America. "This is aligned with our mission to promote bridge-building and cultural understanding between the US and China."

Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping attended the gala and expressed his appreciation for the China Institute and the awardees' efforts in "making a positive impact on China-US cultural exchanges".

"I have been inspired by the vision and commitment of the people and organizations that believe China and the US ... should work together," Huang said. He expressed appreciation for the China Institute's commitment to introducing China to US friends, including its history, culture, values and lifestyle.

"I know we were different, we are different, and we are going to be different. But we share a lot of things in common. The only problem is we just don't know each other as we need to know, so that sometimes causes problems," he said.

"But if we would enhance people-to-people communication, if we could have more contacts, more people flow across the Pacific, having more face-to-face chatting, we will get to know each other better."

The three-time Chinese diplomat to the US hosted and took part in more than 400 events each year during his six-year term and received a special award from the China Institute.

"The road for China and the US is always bumpy," Huang said. "We started reengagement 50 years ago; we had our relationship mobilized 45 years ago. We believe in the power of the youth, strength, the power of unity and solidarity. We can always find a way to get along."

The China Institute is a nonprofit founded in New York in 1926 by US educators John Dewey and Paul Monroe, along with Chinese scholars Hu Shi and Kuo Ping-wen.

"Our mission is to deepen the world's understanding of China's 5,000-year history and its rich and diverse culture," Geh said.

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