As the winner of a scholarship from the Houston chapter of the US-China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA), Francis Vazquez recounted his experience on first arriving in China: "I met a student from Beijing Jiaotong University, I told him my name is Francis, and he said 'House of Cards, House of Cards'."

Vazquez, currently a law student at Texas Southern University (TSU), was confused and thought this was what his name meant in Chinese. Only later did he learn that it was a popular TV show in the US.

"The important thing is that this Chinese student knew more about the US than the US students know about China. Hopefully, with the Confucius Institute in our school, TSU students will learn more about and travel to China as I have," said Vazquez, who went to China to study Chinese through the Confucius Institute's summer camp program last year.

Vazquez shared his experiences at the annual USCPFA gala held in Houston on Oct 23 where local citizens and diplomats gathered to celebrate the friendship between China and the US.

He said he enjoyed the trip because he "saw the ancient China by visiting the temples, and the new China by visiting Shanghai and seeing the amazing bridges and skyscrapers. Not only have I gained a new perspective, but I also developed my language skills".

Li Guixi, China's Deputy Consul General in Houston, praised USCPFA for promoting and developing friendship between the two nations, playing the role of "a solid bridge connecting the Chinese people and American people through fantastic events and regular information".

Business consultant Chase Untermeyer, a former ambassador to Qatar, reviewed various issues between the US and China, concluding that "I foresee a world in which the United States and China are competitors but not enemies, and can look at each other across the ocean that is truly pacific."

At the gala, Adrian Garcia, former Harris County Sheriff and current candidate for mayor of Houston, received the Friendship Ambassador Award. Garcia recalled his trip to China when he was serving as City Councilman years ago, describing it as "a highlight of my life and a trip of a lifetime".

According to Nancy Li, board chairperson of the USCPFA, "With the most recent visit by President Xi Jinping to the US, we firmly believe the future of our two great nations will increasingly contribute to the betterment of the world."

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com