In a heartfelt gesture of international friendship, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a Chinese New Year card to his friends in Iowa, USA, rekindling memories of his visit to the state nearly four decades ago. The exchange highlights the enduring personal connections that can bridge nations.
President Xi reminisced about the warm hospitality he experienced during his 1985 visit to Iowa, stating that the memories remain vivid. \"The warm reception I received when I visited the beautiful state of Iowa 40 years ago is still fresh in my memory,\" he wrote in his reply card.
Emphasizing the potential for collaboration, Xi noted that China and the United States share extensive common interests and have broad space for cooperation. \"China and the United States can achieve mutual success and common prosperity for the benefit of both countries and the world at large,\" he said, expressing optimism about the future of bilateral relations.
President Xi expressed hope for increased people-to-people exchanges, encouraging more visits and interactions between citizens of both nations. \"I hope that our peoples will pay more visits to each other and have more exchanges, jointly write new stories of friendship, and make new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations,\" he added.
The correspondence follows a Chinese New Year card sent to President Xi by 58 Iowans, including personal friends such as Luca Berrone, Gary Dvorchak, and Sarah Lande; former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad and his wife; and Kenneth Quinn, former President of the World Food Prize Foundation. The group also included teachers, students, and parents involved in the \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, which aims to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over a five-year period.
In their card, the Iowans recalled Xi's first visit to their state and extended New Year greetings in the Year of the Snake. The educators and families expressed gratitude for the exchange initiative, shared their positive experiences in China, and looked forward to future visits.
This exchange of goodwill messages underscores the importance of personal relationships in fostering international understanding and cooperation. It serves as a reminder that amidst global challenges, connections at the human level can pave the way for stronger bilateral ties.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
