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 to the region four decades ago. In his message, President Xi emphasized the shared interests between China and the United States, highlighting the vast potential for cooperation and partnership.
\"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 reply. He expressed optimism about the future of Sino-U.S. relations, stating that both countries can achieve mutual success and prosperity for the benefit of the world at large.
President Xi conveyed his hope for increased exchanges between the Chinese and American peoples. \"Let us jointly write new stories of friendship and make new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations,\" he urged.
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 who participated in the \"50,000 in Five Years\" initiative, had sent a Chinese New Year card to President Xi. In their message, they fondly recalled Xi's first visit to Iowa in 1985 and extended their New Year greetings in the Year of the Snake.
The representatives expressed gratitude for President Xi's initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over a five-year period. They shared their positive experiences of visiting China and conveyed their eagerness to return.
Reference(s):
Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com