CUHK student receives letter from President Xi Jinping encouraging continued Sino-US youth exchanges

A fourth-year electronic engineering student from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has received a reply letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed his hope that young people from China and the United States will continue to foster deep friendships and drive cross-cultural exchanges.

The student, Liu Runjie, recently participated in a two-week maritime exchange initiative titled “A Shared Voyage: China-U.S. Youth Friendship Program”,.

Organized by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and other groups, the program brought Chinese and American students together aboard a scientific research vessel.

The voyage set sail from Hong Kong and traveled to Ningbo and Shanghai, during which the students explored historical landmarks and observed China's latest domestic developments.

At the conclusion of the trip, the participants collectively wrote to the Chinese president to share what they had learned and experienced.

In his recent reply, President Xi noted that his initiative proposed in November 2023—which aimed to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for study and exchange programs within five years—had reached its target two and a half years ahead of schedule.

He expressed his warmth and satisfaction regarding the close bonds formed between the students during the voyage and encouraged them to keep playing active roles in strengthening cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the two nations.

In Beijing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed these sentiments. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the youth of both countries represent the future and hope of bilateral relations as well as the world.

She noted that through these dual-direction exchange programs, young people from China and the United States have built deep connections and opened a new chapter of friendly communication.

She expressed hope that more young people will carry forward this legacy and act as bridges of friendship across the Pacific Ocean.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong welcomed the letter as a strong recognition of its students' active participation in international exchanges.

The university added that this encouragement aligns with its mission to nurture talent possessing both a deep national identity and a broad global vision, pledging to continue supporting students in sharing positive stories of China and Hong Kong on the global stage.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓