BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the United States enjoys public support and conforms to popular will, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Wednesday.
Guo made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on a video of the One Voice Children's Choir from the United States singing a Chinese song in Beijing that went viral on social media.
In November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period. Guo said that under the initiative, more than 16,000 young people from the United States came to China for exchange and study in 2024, making new friends, learning the Chinese language, experiencing Chinese culture and exploring modern China.
Noting that amity between people holds the key to sound relations between countries, Guo said it is hoped that more envoys of the new generation will promote friendship between the two countries and write a new chapter in the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. ■