U.S. college students savor a summer of cultural exchange in China

Foreign tourists pose for a photo in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, or Qiniandian, at the Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Edward Hayward, a junior at Carleton College in the United States, has found a new favorite activity this summer: riding buses through streets of Beijing, the Chinese capital city, and enjoying the view outside.

"I am surprised by how beautiful Beijing is, and amazed by everything I see," said the 21-year-old.

This summer vacation, he is spending two months in intensive Chinese language immersion courses at Beijing Normal University under the "Young Envoys Scholarship" (YES) program.

"My Chinese has seen a level of progress I could have only dreamed of a few months ago," said Hayward, who has spent 10 to 12 hours a day practicing pronunciation, improving his speech and studying new words over the past few weeks.

In November 2023, the Chinese government laid out a plan to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over the next five years, aiming to further expand exchanges and promote mutual understanding between Chinese and American people, particularly among the young generation.

To implement the initiative, China established the YES program, which integrates resources from universities across China to provide quality programs, a diversified range of activities, and high-level platforms and channels for young Americans to study and enjoy exchanges in China.

Chinese and American students make paper cut works featuring the dragon boat during a cultural event at Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, June 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)

Though Hayward has been interested in Chinese culture and society since a young age, it is his first visit to China.

"China is sometimes depicted from the outside as a country that forgot its traditions and history in exchange for rapid modernization. After coming here, I can see how wildly inaccurate such a description is. China is advancing rapidly, yet never left any part of its rich culture behind," said Hayward.

Many other American students resonated with Hayward. "I have studied Chinese history for a long time, but to me, it means such a great difference to actually come here and be immersed in the language, culture and history of the area," said Michael Connelly from the University of Chicago who is taking a summer program in Peking University in Beijing.

On Thursday, a "U.S.-China Youth Leaders Dialogue" event was held at Peking University, co-hosted by the university and China Education Association for International Exchange. Over 200 students from nearly 50 Chinese and American universities, including Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Chicago, Peking University and Tsinghua University, participated in the event.

Students from both countries engaged in in-depth discussions, sharing their experiences of traveling and studying in China, and views on global issues such as youth exchange for enhanced understanding, climate change and green development, and technological innovation.

"We are dedicated to granting every student that comes to China for study or exchange with an immersive experience, where a real and stereo China could be vividly felt," said Chen Jie, vice minister of education, at a ceremony of the event.

He believes that everything the American students see, hear and taste in person throughout the journey might make them realize that China is actually different from how it is presented in some books, classes, TV or other media.

"The sites and artifacts here are no longer simply words on a page or pictures in a book, but now have a real tangible weight and importance," said Connelly, who visited automated ports, a smart factory of NEVs, and logistics company in the Yangtze River Delta, an economically vibrant region in east China. "I am no longer just studying Chinese history, but walking amongst its very makings."

The event on Thursday also featured the release of a joint initiative by the Chinese and American youth, which advocated for enhancing people-to-people and cultural exchanges and safeguarding green development. It also called on the youth from both countries to engage in sci-tech innovation for a brighter future for humanity.

Chen noted that the friendship between Chinese and American youth is an important foundation for enhancing trust and cooperation between China and the United States.

"As the world is in an era filled with uncertainties, the ultimate answer to these uncertainties comes from all the young people in attendance here today, and comes from the collective efforts of the young generation of China and the United States," Chen said.

"Young people are the next generation of economic, political and societal leaders, and should play a pivotal role in cross-cultural exchange. It allows us to appreciate the differences in each other's cultures and societies, and find common grounds, even if we live on the opposite sides of the planet," said Luke Aloe from Dartmouth College. "As we continue to engage in dialogue throughout today's program, we are on our way to overcoming misunderstandings and building friendships."

Gong Qihuang, president of Peking University, said at the event that the university will continue to promote educational exchanges between China and the United States, and strengthen dialogue and cooperation with American universities to foster mutual understanding between the youth of both countries.

"During this historic period of China-U.S. relations, there's a lot more we could be doing to better understand, appreciate and respect each other," said Connelly.