Beijing’s top envoy to the United States has called for “objective and rational” views on China through more people-to-people exchanges, especially among the youth.
A total of 14,000 young Americans had visited China since November last year, when President Xi Jinping announced plans to welcome 50,000 US youths on exchange and study programmes over the next five years, Xie Feng, China’s ambassador to Washington, said on Friday, US time.
Xie called for more young Americans to come to China and become “pioneers” in formulating correct perceptions of the country.
“Measure with your own steps, observe with your own eyes, and comprehend with your own heart. Stick to independent thinking, break the stereotype in mindset, to form an objective and rational ‘view of China’,” he said at an event on bilateral youth exchanges at the embassy in Washington.
Geopolitical rivals China and the US have tried to manage their increasingly complicated relations by restoring people-to-people exchanges, even as tensions have escalated over issues ranging from ideology and national security to hi-tech access and trade tariffs.
Beijing set up the Young Envoys Scholarship, or YES, to facilitate the pledged youth exchange and offers five-year multiple-entry visas to young Americans taking part in the programme.
