Olympic skier Eileen Gu grateful for AAPI community support

Eileen Gu, the American-born Olympic skier who competed for China and won the gold medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, said there were plenty of people telling her that they didn't support what she was doing.

But what uplifted her were hundreds of positive messages from her AAPI family, she said.

"It was the feeling of family, of community, culture, tradition, belief that came from my Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander friends and family," she said at an event celebrating AAPI Heritage Month organized by the Bank of China and the China General Chamber of Commerce in New York City on Friday.

The gathering in Manhattan brought together a diverse group of youth leaders and business representatives, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the AAPI community.

The messages from her AAPI family were "something that made me feel uplifted, made me feel like I belonged, made me feel like I had family back home no matter where my home was," Gu said.

Growing up between Beijing and San Francisco, Gu called herself a "global person".

"I was able to appreciate different cultures. Not compare and contrast them over the same qualities, but really appreciate what each one brought to the table individually, uniquely, showed me that we are not weak because of our divides, rather we are strong, because we are unique," said Gu.

"We have to find a way to unite ourselves as humans. And so what's important now, more than ever, is dialogue. It's communication. It's a sense of cultural tolerance and an ability to learn and understand one another," she said.

Huang Ping, the Chinese consul general in New York, also attended the event and said that Chinese Americans or Chinese residing here have been devoted to promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the US.

"Your efforts are greatly appreciated currently in the face of the difficulties in the bilateral relationship and the rising anti-Asian and anti-China sentiments in the American society," Huang said.

"It is our sincere wish that all of us continue to leverage our strengths to help Americans gain a correct understanding of Chinese Americans, as well as the China-US relationship," he said.

"It is our objective to bring the heart of the two peoples closer, deepen friendship and make new contributions to eliminating anti-Asia and anti-China sentiments in the US, improving the living conditions of Chinese Americans, and promoting the sound development of China-US relations," he added.

The event also included a panel featuring Li Chung Pei, co-founder of PEI Architects and architect I.M Pei's son; Candy Nip, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York; and Bhaswar Chatterjee, managing director and co-head Americas Credit Syndicate at Natixis.

The month of May is AAPI Heritage Month, a celebration to recognize the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the US.