Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a Chinese New Year card to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa, expressing hopes for strengthened ties and cooperation between China and the United States.
In his message, President Xi recalled the warm reception he received during his visit to Iowa 40 years ago, noting, \"The beautiful memories of my time in Iowa are still fresh in my mind.\"
Xi emphasized the shared interests between China and the United States, stating that both nations \"share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation\" and can become \"partners and friends.\"
He expressed his hope for increased exchanges between the people of both countries, saying, \"I hope our peoples will pay more visits to each other and have more exchanges, jointly writing new stories of friendship and making new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations.\"
The gesture was in response to a Chinese New Year card sent earlier by 58 people from Iowa, including long-time friends Luca Berrone, Gary Dvorchak, and Sarah Lande; former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad and his wife; former President of the World Food Prize Foundation Kenneth Quinn; as well as teachers, students, and parents involved in an initiative inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over five years.
In their card, they reminisced about Xi's visit to Iowa in 1985 and extended New Year greetings to him in the Year of the Snake. The representatives from the educational initiative shared their experiences visiting China and expressed eagerness to return.
President Xi's outreach highlights the importance of people-to-people connections in fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between China and the United States, especially at a time when bilateral relations are crucial for global prosperity.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
