Hebei students follow Xi's steps toward friendship during Iowa study tour

"These experiences in the United States not only allowed me to experience the warm hospitality and inclusiveness of American people, but also broadened my knowledge and perspective. I feel that they will have a great impact on my life," Zhang said.

Education experts in Hebei said the program has provided a great international exchange platform for youths to make contributions and help build a community with a shared future for mankind.

"It is thanks to the Sino-US people-to-people friendships that students from our school are able to participate in the World Food Prize program," said Pei Hongxia, head of the Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School.

A total of 80 high school students from the school have participated in the World Food Prize program for 11 consecutive years, including 10 this year, Pei said. They are the only team taking part in the event whose native language is not English, she added.

In 2013, the 30th anniversary of the Hebei-Iowa sister state relationship, Kenneth Quinn, then president of the World Food Prize Foundation, invited the students from the school to participate in the program.

The invitation came after a visit to China in 2012 by a delegation of Xi's old friends who also visited the Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School.

During this visit, Sarah Lande, former president of the Iowa Sister State Friendship Committee, and Terry Branstad, former US ambassador to China, former governor of Iowa and current president of the foundation, introduced the youth program to the students, Pei recalled.

The students participating in this year's study tour to Iowa visited the home of Lande, who received Xi when he visited Muscatine in 1985.When he visited the US again in 2012, Xi, then Chinese vice-president, went to Lande's home again to meet his old friends.

"It was a beautiful two-story building, and Lande, who was in her eighties, stood at the door to greet us," recalled Zhao, who visited Lande. She was "very touched "when the students sang Lasting Memory, a song about friendship, at her home, Zhao said.

The 10 students participating in this year's academic conference also visited Valley High School in Des Moines to experience high school life in the US and engage in exchanges with the students. They also got a taste of family life in the US through their host families.

"After feeling the sincerity, enthusiasm and friendliness of the country's people, I believe they will act as messengers for friendly exchanges between China and the United States and make their contribution to the long-term friendship between the two countries," Pei said.

She added that her school has also invited students and teachers from Muscatine High School and Valley High School to visit the Shijiazhuang school.

"Via exchanges in person, we can enhance mutual understanding between youths, so that they can carry forward friendships," she said.

In October, Xi said it was necessary to gather the strength of all parties to advance China-US ties when he met with California's governor, Gavin Newsom.

Xi said the foundation of the relationship lies in the people, the hope for the two countries' future lies with their youth, and vitality comes from local cooperation.

Zhang Yan, an English teacher at the Shijiazhuang school who led the October tour to the US, said she was impressed with the great hospitality.

"A lady even kissed me on my face when welcoming us," she said, adding she will remember it as a "souvenir" of the friendship.