Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a Chinese New Year card to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa, rekindling memories of his visit four decades ago and expressing hope for strengthened ties between China and the United States.
In his message, President Xi reminisced about the warm reception he received during his visit to Iowa 40 years ago, noting that the hospitality and friendship shown to him remain fresh in his memory. He emphasized that China and the United States share extensive common interests and have broad space for cooperation, highlighting the potential for the two nations to become partners and friends.
\"China and the United States can achieve mutual success and common prosperity for the benefit of both countries and the world at large,\" President Xi wrote. He expressed his hope that the peoples of both nations will increase exchanges and visits, jointly writing new chapters in the story of their friendship and contributing to the development of China-U.S. relations.
Earlier, a group of 58 individuals from Iowa, including 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; and representatives of teachers, students, and parents involved in the \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, had jointly sent a Chinese New Year card to President Xi.
In their card, they recalled President Xi's first visit to Iowa in 1985 and extended their New Year greetings for the Year of the Snake. The representatives thanked President Xi for proposing the \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, shared their experiences visiting China, and expressed their eagerness to visit again.
The exchange of New Year greetings underscores the longstanding personal connections between President Xi and the people of Iowa, symbolizing the potential for grassroots diplomacy to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between China and the United States.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
