On July 24, 2024, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng met with John Quelch, Executive Vice President of Duke Kunshan University (DKU). The two sides discussed strengthening China-U.S. educational cooperation and implementing President Xi Jinping's initiative of inviting 50,000 American youths to China for study and exchanges in the next five years. Minister-Counselor for educational affairs Shen Xuesong attended the meeting.

Ambassador Xie briefed Mr. Quelch on the main outcomes of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, especially the contents related to education. He commended DKU’s achievements in running the university and its contributions to China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges. He encouraged DKU to be a pacesetter in China-U.S. educational cooperation, a facilitator of people-to-people exchanges, and a promoter of the development of bilateral relations, so as to make new contributions to boosting China-U.S. exchanges and cooperation in education and scientific research and deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

   Founded in 2013, DKU is a Sino-Foreign joint venture university approved by the Ministry of Education of China and supported by the Kunshan Municipal Government, co-founded by Wuhan University and Duke University.