US Students Write to Xi After China Youth Exchange
A week‑long China tour for about 100 U.S. university students under the Future Makers 2026 program led to a joint letter to President Xi Jinping. The students highlighted shared cultural interests, modern tech visits, and the value of people‑to‑people exchanges, while Xi responded by encouraging co…
By Felo News Desk · Published
In a gesture that underscored the growing importance of youth diplomacy, almost one hundred students from ten U.S. universities who travelled through China as part of the Future Makers 2026 initiative penned a collective letter to President Xi Jinping. The message recounted the sights, conversations and discoveries made during their week‑long journey and urged the Chinese leader to support continued friendship and collaboration between the next generation of Americans and Chinese.
From Classroom to Real‑World Experience
While many participants had studied China in textbooks or through media, the trip offered a tangible encounter with the country’s history, culture and cutting‑edge technology. The itinerary began in Jinan, where students attended the Asia‑Pacific Civil Society Conference during China’s 2026 APEC host year. They then moved to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, where they explored the Nishan Sacred Land and the Temple and Mansion of Confucius, tried Chinese calligraphy and discussed the theme of “harmony in diversity” with students from Qufu Normal University.
Back in Beijing, the group visited iconic sites such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and a section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The tour then shifted to the modern face of China: a demonstration of humanoid robots at Beijing E‑Town Robot World, a visit to the Beijing High‑Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Area and a tour of Xiaomi’s electric‑vehicle factory. The juxtaposition of ancient philosophy and futuristic engineering left a lasting impression on the participants.
Dialogue and Shared Interests
Beyond the scheduled visits, the program fostered informal exchanges. At Qufu Normal University and Tsinghua University, dialogue sessions covered cultural identity, innovation, sustainability, youth leadership and Asia‑Pacific cooperation. Outside of formal settings, students shared meals, university life stories, favourite films, music and jokes. Many discovered common ground—basketball, video games and popular movies—making the experience feel like a conversation with friends rather than a lecture.
Asyifa Isvari, a Harvard Kennedy School student, noted that traveling through China provided perspectives that differ from classroom discussions. Grace from Central Michigan University echoed that, saying the trip allowed them to see differences while still building strong connections.
Encouragement from the Top
President Xi’s reply to the students’ letter was a source of encouragement for the organizers. Daryl Ng, Director of the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation and Chairman of Sino Group, highlighted the foundation’s commitment to supporting international youth exchanges. He praised the Beijing NGO Network for International Exchanges for its long‑standing work and welcomed the students’ efforts to share their experiences upon returning home. The foundation also expressed plans to leverage Hong Kong’s role as a “super‑connector” to promote further exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
Planting Friendship for the Future
The week concluded at Yanqi Lake, a site that hosted the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2014. Here, Chinese and American participants planted trees in a “Forest for Tomorrow” project, symbolising ecological conservation and green development. The act of planting trees was interpreted as planting the seeds of friendship that could grow long after the journey ended. A UC Davis student recalled how strangers became genuine friends during the week, a bond she intends to maintain after returning home.
In their letter to Xi, the students expressed hope that their trip deepened their understanding of China’s traditional culture and contemporary development, and that they would share these insights with others in their home countries. The exchange, they said, had shown that people‑to‑people contact can transcend distant impressions, foster trust and create new channels for dialogue.
Future Makers 2026, co‑hosted by the Beijing NGO Network for International Exchanges and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, combined cultural and technology visits with direct exchanges between U.S. and Chinese students. The program exemplifies how structured youth diplomacy can build lasting bridges between nations.
Key facts
- Nearly 100 U.S. students travelled through China and wrote to President Xi
- The itinerary spanned historic sites, modern tech hubs and cultural exchanges
- Students discovered common interests, fostering friendships across borders
- Xi’s response encouraged continued youth diplomacy and cooperation
- The program concluded with a symbolic tree‑planting at Yanqi Lake
- Future Makers 2026 is supported by NGOs and a Hong Kong charitable foundation
Why it matters
Youth exchanges like Future Makers 2026 demonstrate that direct interaction can break down stereotypes, build mutual respect and lay the groundwork for long‑term cooperation between countries.
Frequently asked questions
What is Future Makers 2026?
Future Makers 2026 is a youth exchange program that brings together students from U.S. universities and Chinese cities to experience cultural, historical and technological aspects of China while fostering dialogue and friendship.
How many students participated?
About 100 U.S. students from ten universities and 70 Chinese students from Beijing and Shandong took part in the week‑long program.
What was the purpose of the letter to President Xi?
The students wrote to share their experiences, highlight common ground, and encourage the Chinese government to support continued youth exchanges and cooperation.
Sources
- [1] scmp.com — originally reported as “President Xi encourages China-US youth ties after exchange”
