BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Some twenty days ago, they were strangers. When the 22 young Chinese and American delegates first met in Washington, D.C., they came from different countries, educational backgrounds and cultural experiences.
But by the time they gathered in Beijing this week for the closing ceremony of the "Across the Pacific: China-U.S. Youth Dialogue for a Shared Future" program, they were exchanging hugs, taking more selfies together and making plans to stay connected.
The program, co-hosted by the China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas and the International Student Conferences (ISC), allows young people to see, listen to, and understand one another beyond distance and differences.
Over the past three weeks, participants traveled from Washington, D.C., and Montana in the United States to southwest China's Yunnan Province and Beijing. They visited universities, museums, rural areas and technology companies, discussing issues including rural development, climate change, artificial intelligence and global cooperation.
"For me, the youth in this generation has definitely been able to bond over similar understandings of the world," said U.S. student delegate Branson Chi at the closing ceremony.
"Different cultures, different languages, different places haven't been able to make us different as humans," he said.
For Chi, some of the most meaningful memories came from everyday interactions with Chinese counterparts.
During their time in Montana, Chinese and American students kayaked together and shared outdoor adventures. In Yunnan, they tasted local foods, tried on garments of different ethnic groups and explored cities together.
The journey also offered American participants a better understanding of China.
Kiran Nieves-Noel, an ISC representative, was impressed by Yunnan's efforts in ecological conservation and agricultural development, including local initiatives involving universities, farmers and communities.
"We were really hoping to explore more rural areas of China and get that knowledge outside of a bigger city," she said, adding that what impressed her most was how Yunnan combined environmental protection with development.
Valerie Grau from Pace University said meeting different ethnic communities in Yunnan gave her a deeper appreciation of China's cultural diversity.
"I think American students really learned that China has a deep, rich, diverse culture," she said.
For Tyler James Smith, an international studies student from the University of Tampa, visiting Yunnan also highlighted similarities between the two countries.
Growing up near agricultural areas on the U.S. West Coast, he found that challenges in farming and ecological protection were not so different across the Pacific.
"It was very fascinating to see how similar stuff like agriculture actually was between the two nations," he said.
Chinese student representative Xiong Yifan said the most unforgettable part of the journey was the simple moments they shared in daily life.
Through conversations over meals, late-night discussions and mutual support, students discovered that behind different identities were young people who shared common aspirations and hopes for the future.
Their experience showed that when young people meet face to face, dialogue becomes possible, understanding grows, and friendship can take root.
To promote exchanges like this, China proposed an initiative in November 2023 to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over five years.
According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since its launch, more than 50,000 young Americans have visited China, achieving the target two and a half years ahead of schedule.
Via these interactions, young people from both countries have reached out to one another, deepened mutual understanding and built lasting friendships, opening a new chapter in people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States.
At the closing ceremony, Zhao Hai from the National Institute for Global Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences called on the students to contribute to the stable and constructive development of China-U.S. relations.
The challenges facing the world today, from climate change to technological transformation, require cooperation across borders, Zhao said. "The hope is right here, lies in you," he noted, while pointing to the young participants.
For the students, the journey may have ended, but the connections they created are likely to continue.
"Through the relationship that we created in this program, hopefully we can later help our countries solve common issues that our generation is facing," said Grau.
"The depth of friendship that you have been able to create gives me a really hopeful vision for the future of U.S.-China relations," U.S. delegate Erik Larson told his fellow students. ■
