Xi Praises US-China Student Exchanges in Personal Reply
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping has written back to participants of a high-profile US-China youth exchange, celebrating the success of the ‘Shared Journey of Friendship’ initiative. More than 50,000 American students have now visited China since the program began in November 2023, fulfilling its quota two-and-a-half years early.
In his letter, Xi emphasized that bilateral friendship is built by people, not governments alone. He urged the next generation to safeguard the relationship by studying each other’s cultures and contributing fresh ideas for cooperation. The exchanges have already produced joint research projects, language partnerships, and community-service activities spanning both countries.
Education ministries in Beijing and Washington see the program as a low-risk, high-reward channel for rebuilding trust. With geopolitical frictions persisting, such people-to-people links offer a parallel track where concrete, positive outcomes can still be achieved. Xi’s direct engagement is likely to accelerate funding and visa facilitation for future cohorts.
