►► »Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, » Chinese President Xi Jinping has said. For him, the foundation of China-U.S. relations was laid by the two peoples.
BEIJING- Upon the official announcement of Xi’s U.S. visit on Monday, his recent reply to American university students was made public. In his letter, Xi encouraged them to foster greater mutual understanding and affinity between people of the two countries, and to promote the steady and sustained development of bilateral relations.
When China-U.S. relations were at a low ebb, Xi cast his eyes toward the future — young people. The youth, he believes, carry the future and hope of this relationship.
During his 2023 trip to San Francisco for the APEC leaders’ meeting, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over the next five years. By May this year, that goal had been reached two and a half years ahead of schedule.
Many participants have written to Xi, thanking him for the opportunity to see China for themselves and forge friendships with their Chinese peers. Xi, in turn, has encouraged young people from both countries to become « envoys of friendship » bridging the Pacific.
A 2026 Reagan Institute Summer Survey found that younger Americans were significantly less likely to view China as a major threat to the United States.
By Xinhua
