Rich and vibrant culture is what has deeply impressed a delegation of high school students from the United States who completed on Tuesday a 10-day trip to China that took them to Guizhou, Sichuan and Shandong provinces.
The delegation of nearly 100 teachers and students from more than 10 high schools in the state of Washington is part of China's initiative to invite 50,000 young people from the US for exchange and study programs in China over a five-year period.
Since the initiative was announced by President Xi Jinping in November in San Francisco, more than 10,000 US teenagers have visited China so far.
Ronda Litzenberger, a member of the delegation, said the hospitality, culture and beautiful scenery far exceeded her expectations, and it was a rich cultural exchange that will leave a lasting impression on her.
"This trip has been an incredible experience. Every adventure has been special, but our visit to the Miao village stands out. The delicious food, vibrant ethnic dancing and the opportunity to learn batik from local students were truly memorable," she said.
In Guizhou, the students played the lusheng, a Miao ethnic reed-pipe flute, participated in a local drum dance and tasted sour fish soup and rice wine to fully experience traditional Chinese culture. They also joined a basketball event in Taipan village known as a "Village Basketball Association" competition.
Kenneth McKee Cryan, from Tri-Cities Prep School, said the lusheng is a very interesting instrument that he never knew about until he learned about it while in China.
Isabella Ferguson, from Westlake High School, and her fellow students had the wonderful opportunity to discover the diverse aspects of Sichuan province.
They visited the lush, beautiful home of the giant pandas, learned about the historical bonds of the two countries at the Hall of the Heroes of the Flying Tigers, expanded their knowledge of Sichuan's architecture and bamboo culture, and got to taste Sichuan's mouthwatering cuisine.
"I think everything that we have learned and experienced here helps us form a more well-rounded view of China and its culture and people," she said.
Bea Kelzenberg, a senior at Stadium High School, who just got back from a journey to Shandong province on Tuesday, said her trip to universities in Shandong was an exciting experience.
"We all experienced such rich and vibrant culture from the different schools we visited, especially from Shandong University. While there, we were graced with dance and opera performances with opportunities to play Chinese musical instruments as well as try on the beautiful costumes of their culture," she said.
"Not only this, but to be able to converse with the students and learn about their culture firsthand was truly inspirational and moving," Kelzenberg said.
Before flying back to Washington state, the students also played a basketball game with their Chinese peers at Beijing No 8 High School on Tuesday.
Litzenberger said she was deeply moved by how the US and Chinese students played together.
"They were evenly matched, and you could see the mutual respect and care they had for one another," she said, adding that she believes that sports have the unique ability to break down barriers and create connections.
Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi, watched the match and met with the delegation.
Noting that the future of China-US relations rests on the young people, Peng expressed the hope that the US students will share their experiences with their families, friends and classmates when they return to the US.
David Chong, president of the US-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, said he felt greatly encouraged to continue working to foster friendship between the countries after meeting again on Tuesday with Peng. Xi and Peng visited Lincoln High School in the state of Washington in 2015.
"I really appreciated their support for our association, and we will be committed to working as envoys for China-US friendship," Chong said.
Shen Xin, secretary-general of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said it is hoped that the trips to different places in China will help plant the seeds of friendship in the hearts of the young people.
"Hopefully, the seeds will gradually grow into tall trees, making positive contributions to the healthy and stable development of China-US relations," he said.