In a gesture of goodwill and friendship, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a Chinese New Year card to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa, emphasizing the shared interests and potential for cooperation between China and the United States. Xi expressed that the two nations \"share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation and can become partners and friends.\"
Reflecting on his visit to Iowa four decades ago, Xi noted that the \"warm reception he received when he visited the beautiful state of Iowa 40 years ago is still fresh in his memory.\" His trip in 1985, when he was a county official, established personal connections that have endured over the years.
President Xi underscored the importance of people-to-people exchanges, stating his hope that \"the two peoples will pay more visits to each other and have more exchanges, jointly write new stories of friendship between the two peoples and make new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations.\" He highlighted that mutual success and common prosperity are beneficial not only to both countries but also to the world at large.
The correspondence from President Xi was in response to a Chinese New Year card sent earlier by 58 Iowa residents, 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\" exchange initiative.
In their card, the Iowa friends reminisced about Xi's first visit to Iowa in 1985 and extended New Year greetings to him in the Year of the Snake. The representatives expressed gratitude for 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. They shared their positive experiences from visiting China and expressed eagerness to visit again.
Xi's engagement with his Iowa friends highlights the enduring personal relationships that can bridge cultural and national divides. As China and the United States navigate complex international dynamics, such grassroots connections underscore the potential for collaboration and mutual understanding between the two nations.
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Xi Jinping sends Chinese New Year card in response to friends in Iowa
cgtn.com
