On January 28, 2024, the Chinese Embassy in the United States held an event in celebration of the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. student exchanges and the 2024 Spring Festival Gala for Chinese and American youths.

Ambassador Xie Feng said in his remarks that although China-U.S. educational cooperation has come under headwinds in recent years, the aspiration of both peoples for mutual understanding and learning remains unstoppable, and those supporting China-U.S. educational cooperation have never been absent. To usher in another 45 years, we need to stay true to our original commitment, take educational cooperation to new heights despite all the difficulties, and find the right answers to three questions critical to China-U.S. relations in the new era.

First, the question of the century as to what is the right way for China and the United States to get along. Forestalling major-country conflict or confrontation is a constant endeavor of the international community. Whether China and the United States can properly handle their relations bears on the future of humanity. We hope that educational cooperation will continue to set the pace for China-U.S. relations, go beyond the Cold-war mentality and the obsession with fighting over the existing turf, and pool Eastern and Western wisdom together to seek common ground while reserving differences. We hope it will encourage the two countries to open up new arenas of cooperation such as digital economy and green and low-carbon growth, and help the two countries find the right way to get along in the new era.

Second, the question from our peoples as to how to clear obstacles to educational exchanges. The dynamism of thought springs from mutual learning, and scientific progress would be impossible without exchanges. Politicizing and manipulating educational cooperation will not only prevent students from chasing their dreams and force them to change their life plans, but also drain the talent pool of the United States, poison its research environment and chill innovation.

Third, the question of the times as to how to renew the friendship between our youths. The youth are the future. When the younger generations get along well with each other, there will be hope for China-U.S. relations. In this regard, every university can be a bridge, and every student a window. When the over 7,000 universities and over 65 million students of our two countries pitch in together, they will forge an unbreakable bond of goodwill, and inject a powerful impetus into people-to-people exchanges.