China-U.S. friendship draws strength from youth exchanges

American students visiting China learn to write Chinese calligraphy at Tsinghua University. (People’s Daily/Liu Lingling)

“The hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in our people, and its future lies with the young. I am glad to announce an invitation for 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchanges and study in the coming five years.”

In September this year, during his state visit to the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced this new initiative to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

In response, a China-U.S. youth exchange event themed “Embark on a New Journey: Together We Meet, Together We Embrace the Future” was recently held in Beijing. More than 200 Chinese and American students gathered in the city for themed visits and roundtable discussions, drawing closer to one another and building lasting friendships through face-to-face interaction.

During his visit to the United States in November 2023, Xi proposed inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchanges and study over five years, giving fresh impetus to youth exchanges between the two countries in the new era.

Over the past two years and more, many Chinese and American young people have broadened their horizons and gained a better understanding of the world through exchanges and mutual learning.

From classroom learning and cultural experiences to city visits and community activities, their firsthand experiences and genuine friendships have offered vivid examples of how the peoples of the two countries can come to know and appreciate one another.

Having achieved the original “50,000 in five years” target two and a half years ahead of schedule, China has now launched the “100,000 in five years” initiative. The increase from 50,000 to 100,000 represents more than a numerical target. It reflects a stronger commitment and greater opportunities for young people from both countries to get to know one another, deepen mutual understanding, and grow together.

During their visits, American students have walked along the Great Wall, explored the galleries of the National Museum of China, and observed breakthroughs in university research laboratories — exposing them to a country where ancient heritage coexists with rapid modernization. 

Beside the battlements of the Great Wall, one student reflected that experiencing the country firsthand had dispelled many stereotypes formed across the Pacific. During roundtable discussions, young people were pleasantly surprised to discover that, despite growing up in very different environments, their peers on the other side of the ocean shared many of the same interests.

Young Chinese and Americans sing the song “It’s Great to Know You” at a China-U.S. exchange activity held at Peking University. (People’s Daily/Liu Lingling)

These face-to-face encounters and heart-to-heart conversations are sowing the seeds of understanding and trust. Little by little, they are reshaping how a new generation in China and the United States sees the other, turning distant perceptions across the Pacific into vivid, personal experiences.

Exchanges extend beyond cultural experiences to discussions of frontier technologies and issues of shared concern for humanity. During roundtable discussions, Chinese and American students exchanged views freely on artificial intelligence, scientific and technological innovation, and social responsibility.

Young people in both countries share the same planet and a common responsibility for the future. Faced with shared development opportunities and global challenges, they are among the most creative and action-oriented members of society. The understanding and trust built today will provide a solid foundation for cooperation tomorrow.

With the “100,000 in five years” initiative as a new starting point, more young Chinese and Americans can learn from each other, make progress together and become envoys of friendship across the Pacific, helping bring their peoples closer and promote the steady and sustained development of bilateral relations.

Mutual understanding and goodwill between the peoples have always been the deepest foundation and most enduring source of strength for China-U.S. relations. “Ping-Pong diplomacy” opened the door to exchanges after years of estrangement. The enduring ties forged in Kuliang have carried friendship across generations, while sub-regional cooperation has produced heartwarming stories in places such as Iowa. Countless small acts of engagement between ordinary people have come together to nourish the relationship between the two countries.

Recent polls by several major U.S. polling organizations show that American public sentiment toward China has continued to improve. A survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 57 percent of Americans polled supported “friendly cooperation and engagement with China.” U.S. media outlets have also noted that short-video platforms are becoming a window through which young Americans can learn about China.

People-to-people exchanges require sustained, careful efforts and long-term commitment. They help friendship between the two peoples take deeper root and grow stronger over time. This is precisely why every sincere encounter between young Chinese and Americans is so precious and deserves to be cherished.

Friendships built on sincerity can last long. From “50,000 in five years” to “100,000 in five years,” the friendships forged among young people in China and the United States will come together to generate powerful momentum for the sound and stable development of bilateral relations.

China stands ready to continue deepening people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges with the United States, strengthen the foundation of friendship between the two peoples, and build up a lasting groundswell of public support for a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability.