AttheinvitationofRotaryDistrict５１７０inCali－fo rniaintheUnitedStates，I，asarepresentativeof theChineseAssociationforInternationalUnder－ standing（CAFIU），traveledtoAmericaforaninter －nationalcooperationexchangesponsoredbytheD is－trictfromSeptember２２toOctober７．Theintern a－tionalparticipantswereinvitedbyDistrict５１ ７０toattendtheeventasrepresentativesofChina， India，Ghana，Mexico，HondurasandGuatemala，whi chareallrecipientsoftheDistrict＇saidprogram s．Thepur－poseoftheeventwastoshareinformatio nonthecon－creteimplementationandresultsofth ecooperationprogramsintherecipientcountries withaviewtoenhancingpeople－to－peopleunderst andingandfriendship．Theorganizersoftheevent hopedtocon－tributetointeractionbetweendiffe rentnations，cul－tures，andcivilizationsthrou ghcooperation．Besides，theyalsosoughttoprovi deanopportunitytoshareexperienceandideasonc ontinuedcooperationintheyearstocome．ThePres identofRotaryInterna－tional（２００１
－２００２）Mr．Ri chardKing，whoisaRo－tarianoftheDistrict，atte ndedtheconferenceforanumberoftimes．Heisofth eopinionthatunderthecircumstancesofdeepenin geconomicglobalization，oneofthelawsgovernin ginternationalrelationsshowsthatfriendlycon tactsandexchangearecon－tinuingthoughconflic tsandtensionsareinevitable．Hehopesthatpeopl e－to－peopleexchangebetweentheUnitedStatesan dChinawillexpandtowiderar－easandplayamoreac tiveroleinadvancingthede－velopmentofhumanit y．MembersofDistrict５１７０arefriendlytowardsCh ina．Inparticular，thosewhohavebeentoChinaare moreinterestedinChina＇sdevelopment，expressi ngthehopetolearnmoreaboutthecountry．Asoneof thespeakers，Iattended１１clubmeetingsand２dist rictconventions．WhenIsawAmericanfriendsputu pthenationalflagofChi－naatthevenues，Ihadake enfeelingofthegoodwillsentimentsbasedonunde rstandingandtrust．RotaryDistrict５１７０issitua tedalongtheBayareaofSanFranciscoinCaliforni a．Inrecentyears，theDistrict＇s５５clubshavebee nactivelyengagedininternationalassistancepr ogramsbymatchingthefundfromtheRotaryFoundat ionwithalargequanti－tyoffundsandmaterialsth eyraised．Theyhavepro－videdprojectassistance intheformofpovertyallevi－ation，educationand healthcareforareasinChinaandsomeotherThirdW orldcountries．CAFIUandRotaryDistrict５１７０enj oyalongstandingrelation－shipoffriendlyexcha nge．Thetwoorganizationshavecooperatedinchan nelinghumanitarianassis－tanceinlargequantit iestoChina．ThroughCAFIU，theDistricthaschann eleduptoover４millionUSdollarsinprojectassis tancetoChina．SuccessiveGovernorsofDistrict５ １７０andCAFIUleadershaveofferedpositiveandcon cretesupportandguidancetobilateralcooperati on．WhenDistrictGovernorMr．JimWalker，wholedt hefirstUSRotarydelegationtovisitChinain１９９４ ，appearedinasmallvillageintheremotemountain ousareasinShannxiProvinceinwestChina，itwast heveryfirsttimethelocalpeo－pleevermetwithin ternationalfriends．Forupto６timesDistrictGov ernorMr．KarlStuckitraveledtoNiupuVillageand BeicunVillageinBinxianCountyintheprovinceon astudytourofthewatersupplyproject，whichcomp letelyresolvedthewaterprob－lemsforresidents intwopoverty－strickenmountain－ouscommunitie s．Previously，thelocalpeoplehadtofetchdrinki ngwaterfromafarandnowaterhadbeenavailablefo rirrigation．ThankstotheRotary－spon－soredwat ersupplyproject，morethan１，３００resi－dentsinth etwovillagesofNiupuandBeicunhaveaccesstodri nkingwaterandirrigationisavailabletoover３０h ectaresoffruittrees．For４yearssincetheprojec twascompleted，ithasplayedanimportantroleins peedinguplocalinfrastructuredevelopmentanda lleviatingpoverty．Since１９９５，withthefinan－ci alassistanceofDistrict５１７０andtheRotaryFoun－ dation，andtheequipmentprovidedby“AssistIn－t ernational”，whichisledbyaRotarymemberMr．Bob Pegett，millionsofUSdollarsworthofmedicalequ ipmenthavebeenmadeavailableto４hospitalsinTi betandsomeotherpartsofChina（３ofthemareleadi ngmedicalinstitutionsinwesternChineseprovin ces）．Theadvancedmedicalequipmenthascontribu tedtotherecipienthospitals＇capacitytodi－agn oseandtreatcardiovasculardiseases．Mean－whil e，thenewfacilitieshaveledtoimprovementinthe careconditionsforcriticallyillpatients，greaterchanceofsuccessinemergencytreatmentandmoreeffectivepreventionofpotentiallydangerouscondi－tions．IfIwereaskedtonarrateeachprojec