Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a heartfelt Chinese New Year card to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa, rekindling memories of his visit to the region 40 years ago. In his message, President Xi emphasized the deep ties between China and the United States, highlighting the extensive common interests and vast potential for cooperation between the two nations.
\"The warm reception I received when I visited the beautiful state of Iowa 40 years ago is still fresh in my memory,\" Xi wrote in his card. He expressed his appreciation for the friendships forged during that time and his hope that both countries can become partners and friends, achieving mutual success and prosperity for the benefit of both nations and the world at large.
President Xi also encouraged increased exchanges between the Chinese and American peoples. \"I hope that 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,\" he said.
Earlier, a group of 58 Iowans—including 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; and representatives of teachers, students, and parents involved in an exchange initiative—had jointly sent a Chinese New Year card to President Xi. In their message, they recalled Xi's first visit to Iowa in 1985 and extended New Year greetings for the Year of the Snake.
The representatives thanked President Xi for his \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, which invites young Americans to China for exchange and study over a five-year period. They shared their experiences of visiting China and expressed their eagerness to return.
This exchange of New Year greetings underscores the enduring relationship between China and the state of Iowa, symbolizing the broader potential for people-to-people connections to strengthen diplomatic ties.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
