President Xi encourages China-US youth ties after exchange
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Nearly 100 students from 10 US universities who travelled through China under Future Makers 2026 jointly wrote to President Xi Jinping after the programme, sharing what they had seen and experienced during the trip. In his reply to the students, Xi encouraged young people from both countries to promote friendship and…
Nearly 100 students from 10 US universities embarked on a cultural and technology exchange program in China under the Future Makers 2026 initiative. Upon returning from their trip, the students wrote to President Xi Jinping, sharing their experiences and expressing the desire to promote friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
President Xi responded by encouraging young people from both countries to strengthen mutual understanding through people-to-people exchanges. These encounters allow participants to transcend foreign impressions, ask questions directly, and find common ground through everyday interaction. Trust and dialogue between the two societies can be strengthened over time through such personal connections.
The principle of expanding exchanges and cooperation in areas such as tourism and people-to-people ties was reaffirmed during a May meeting between President Xi and US President Donald Trump. A week-long program, Future Makers 2026, brought 100 students from 10 US universities and 70 young people from Beijing and Shandong together.
The journey began in Jinan, where participants attended the Asia-Pacific Civil Society Conference during China’s 2026 APEC host year. They visited Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, and traveled to Beijing, where they experienced modern China by visiting humanoid robots, autonomous driving demonstrations, and Xiaomi’s electric vehicle factory.
The juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern China left participants with vivid memories. Through conversations and meals together, students discovered shared interests, such as basketball, video games, and films. The program concluded with the planting of trees at Yanqi Lake, symbolizing ecological conservation and green development.
The students expressed hope that the friendships formed during the trip would continue to grow after returning home, deepening their understanding of China's traditional culture and contemporary development.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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