Youth and innovation at forefront in German president's China visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) holds a welcoming ceremony for visiting German President Joachim Gauck before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 21. Feng Yongbin / China Daily

A growing number of youth exchanges between China and Germany this year will help boost ties between the two countries, something highlighted when President Joachim Gauck visited China in late March.

Gauck called on German students who are going to study in China to make good use of their stay to learn China and about the country's culture, and President Xi Jinping encouraged young students from the two countries to learn with and from one another. Both leaders attended the opening ceremony of the China-Germany Year of the Student and Youth Exchanges held in Beijing on March 21.

"China and Germany have different historical backgrounds, social systems and levels of development, but these differences should become the driving force for bilateral exchanges and collaboration rather than hindrances," Xi said.

More than 30 exchange activities in areas such as education, culture, technology and sports are planned for the year, aimed at promoting people-to-people exchanges and building a solid foundation for the growth of a long-term partnership.

The idea of promoting youth exchanges was first proposed by Xi when he visited Germany two years ago, and 2016 was set as the year of youth exchange when Chancellor Angela Merkel visited China in October last year.

Clemens Treter, director of the Goethe-Institut in Beijing, said exchange programs are a valuable tool in helping young people get to know other countries.

"If you want to know a country, you have to go there yourself and communicate with the people there."

His organization will hold a series of activities under the framework of the year of youth exchange, including a debating competition among German-speaking Chinese college students and home-stay exchanges for Chinese and German middle school students.