Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a Chinese New Year card to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa, expressing warm sentiments and highlighting the importance of China-U.S. relations. In his message, President Xi recalled his memorable visit to Iowa 40 years ago, noting that the hospitality he received still resonates with him today.
\"China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation,\" President Xi wrote. \"We can become partners and friends, achieving mutual success and common prosperity for the benefit of both countries and the world at large.\"
Emphasizing the significance of people-to-people exchanges, President Xi expressed hope that citizens from both nations would visit each other more frequently. \"Let us jointly write new stories of friendship between our peoples and make new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations,\" he stated.
The gesture came in response to a Chinese New Year card sent to President Xi by 58 Iowa residents. The group included friends such as 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 the \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, which invites young Americans to China for exchange and study over a five-year period.
In their card, the Iowa residents fondly recalled President Xi's first visit to their state in 1985 and extended New Year greetings in the Year of the Snake. Participants from the \"50,000 in Five Years\" program expressed gratitude for the opportunity to visit China, sharing their experiences and hopes to return in the future.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
