BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended a China-U.S. youth cultural and sports exchange activity at Beijing No. 8 High School on Tuesday afternoon.
During the activity, Peng had a cordial exchange with a delegation of young people from the U.S. state of Washington. She welcomed the teachers and students to visit China, expressing the hope that the young people of the two countries will know each other better and inject positive energy into bilateral relations.
Peng watched a friendly match between Chinese and U.S. youth basketball teams and presented commemorative medals to the players of both sides.
Peng also watched a video documenting the delegation's visit to various places in China. American student representatives shared their unforgettable experiences during the visit, which has helped them learn more about different ethnic customs and the fine traditional Chinese culture.
The visit has a rich and colorful itinerary, helps foster a profound friendship between the American students and their Chinese peers, and will sure leave a deep impression on everyone, Peng said.
Noting that the future of China-U.S. relations rests on the young people, Peng expressed the hope that the American students will share their experiences with their families, friends and classmates when they return to the United States, carry home the friendship of the Chinese people, and help nurture the "tree of friendship" between the two peoples.
At the end of the activity, the Chinese and U.S. teenagers sang Chinese and English songs together. And Peng joined them for a group photo in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.
The delegation of nearly 100 teachers and students from more than 10 high schools in the state of Washington came to China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. ■