Chinese envoy visits Shenandoah University in Virginia, US

WASHINGTON -- Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the United States Xu Xueyuan met with President of Shenandoah University (SU) Tracy Fitzsimmons in Winchester, Virginia, to discuss further cooperation with Chinese universities.

During the visit on Tuesday, Xu commended SU for actively cooperating with Chinese universities despite the strained bilateral relationship and the impact of a once-in-a-century pandemic, said a statement on the embassy's website Thursday.

SU has carried out joint mandarin learning courses and MBA programs, positively contributing to China-US educational exchanges and friendship between the two peoples. Fitzsimmons and faculty members expressed their readiness to further strengthen collaboration with Chinese partner universities to enhance academic and people-to-people ties in the post-COVID-19 era.

Xu and the delegation watched musical performances by teachers and students from the school's Conservatory, after which she made a few remarks.

Xu pointed out that since the beginning of reform and opening-up, China has gradually grown into the world's second-largest economy, marking several proud accomplishments along the way.

China has won the battle against poverty in a planned time frame and built a state-of-the-art high-speed railway, electronic payment in China is widespread and China's young people are becoming the leading force for innovation and start-ups in various fields, she told the audience.

The Chinese envoy also said that China still has a long way to go as a developing country. The 1.4 billion Chinese people strive for national development and a better life. China is willing to develop sound and stable China-US relations based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

Founded in 1875, SU is a distinctive institution that has grown from a minor seminary 150 years ago to a private university with 4,000 students. The university has produced many outstanding graduates and embraced students from 47 states in the US and 42 countries around the world, including China.