Youth seen as key to US-China exchanges

A top Chinese envoy, speaking at a prominent leadership event, called for the voices of youth to influence exchanges and cooperation between China and the US.

"China provides stability to the world today from the perspective of globalization," said Xu Xueyuan, chargé d' affaires of the Chinese embassy in the US, in her keynote speech Saturday when she attended the 13th Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit online. She also called on young Chinese and American students to meet future challenges.

Xu said that since the beginning of its reform and opening-up, "China has actively embraced the tide of globalization and made continuous efforts along the way.

"China has gradually become an important member of the global economic and trading system. Now, with globalization in distress, China remains an 'anchor of stability' in a turbulent world," she said.

Xu said China's sustained and rapid growth "has contributed a strong impetus to global recovery". China is "building up a new development pattern at a faster pace, and forging new momentum for globalization with its high-level opening-up," she said.

"China is steadily expanding institutional openness and working to uphold the institutional basis for globalization," said Xu, adding that China is promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), hoping to bring the benefits of globalization to more countries.

She raised three expectations for the young students: First, play the role as a bridge and be the voice of youth for more exchanges and cooperation between China and the US.

Second, pursue innovation and promote international cooperation to contribute ingenuity for a better future of humanity.

Third, be open and broad-minded; make friends all over the world, and fuel global unity and development with the power of youth.

Xu also answered questions from the students on issues including China's foreign policy, China-US economic cooperation and trade, cultural exchanges, the BRI and data-privacy protection and supervision.

The summit is an annual conference jointly organized by students from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It invites leading experts from various industries to speak on topics that are crucial to China-US relations. It provides a platform for young people from both countries and the world to learn more about China and promote the sound development of China-US relations.

Meanwhile, Xu on Tuesday was invited to visit Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, to meet with university President Tracy Fitzsimmons and interact with teachers and students at the school.

Xu affirmed the exchange and cooperation between the school and China, and appreciated that the university still actively seeks exchanges and cooperation with Chinese universities despite tense bilateral relations and the effects of the COVID pandemic.

Xu said the friendship has made positive contributions to educational exchanges and the friendship between the two peoples. The university also expressed its willingness to further strengthen ties with Chinese partner institutions in the post-pandemic era.