From left: Priscilla Gill's daughter, Priscilla Gill, a member of the "Friends of Kuliang", and her granddaughter pose in Fuzhou's Sanfang Qixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys) historic district. [Photo/FZ Evening News]

The 2026 China-US Youth Baseball Exhibition Games and Sports Festival, involving nearly 400 participants from China and the United States, kicked off on June 28 in Fuzhou, Fujian province.

The event, which will run until July 2, brings together young athletes and guests for baseball games, school visits, and cultural activities in Fuzhou and nearby Pingtan.

Organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the General Administration of Sport of China, and the Fujian provincial government, it is part of an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over five years.

Eight youth baseball teams from China and the US will compete in games in Pingtan. Participants will also visit eight secondary schools and universities in Fuzhou, where they will take part in baseball clinics and activities including intangible cultural heritage workshops, science and technology programs, and traditional Chinese cuju, which is the earliest known recorded game of soccer.

The event also features activities with the "Friends of Kuliang", a group of foreign families and descendants with historical ties to Kuliang, a former summer retreat on the outskirts of Fuzhou, including a book launch, story-sharing sessions, and discussions on ecological conservation and cultural heritage. A new China-US youth friendship park is also set to open in Kuliang during the event.