Flying cars, AI and ocean voyages: China-US youth exchanges flourish

The first time sitting in the cockpit of a flying car in Guangzhou, capital city in south China's Guangdong Province, American college student Issa Geisendorfer could hardly hide his excitement. "It was my first time sitting in a flying car cockpit. Seeing the technology and its capabilities up close was amazing!" he said.

In October 2026, Issa joined a delegation of 31 faculty members and students from 11 US universities on a China visit program centered on pickleball, a sport that brought young people from the two countries together through friendly matches and exchanges. Beyond the court, the group also visited technology and cultural sites, gaining a broader perspective on China.

This is just one example of the growing exchanges between young people in China and the United States.

In November 2023, China launched a five-year initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs. The target was reached two and a half years ahead of schedule. In September 2026, China announced a new initiative to invite 100,000 young Americans to the country over the next five years.

These exchanges give more young Americans an opportunity to experience everyday life in China firsthand. In October 2026, more than 200 students from China and the United States gathered in Beijing for an exchange featuring campus visits, cultural activities and discussions.

For Milca Velazquez, a 20-year-old engineering student from Washington state, it was her first visit to Asia. She enjoyed China's food and community life, particularly milk tea, and hoped to stay in touch with her Chinese student buddy.

The initiative has created a long-term, stable and sustainable platform for youth exchanges between the two countries, David Chong, founder and president of the US-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, told Xinhua.

Many young Americans who took part in exchange programs have continued to follow developments in China after returning home and some have taken up learning Chinese, while others have continued to promote exchanges between schools, he said.

Science and technology offer new ground for China-US youth exchange

This summer, 18 students from seven US universities joined an international summer program at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China. They took part in hands-on technology projects, including AI robotics.

Anthony Nehemiah, a student at Binghamton University, State University of New York, took part in academic lectures, hands-on robot building and visits to industrial facilities during the program. The experience, he said, gave him firsthand insight into China's smart manufacturing sector.

In March 2026, 20 university students from China and the United States embarked on a two-week educational voyage aboard a research vessel as part of the "A Shared Voyage: China-US Youth Friendship Program." During the trip, the students worked together on marine science and engaged in cultural exchange activities.

"Although we come from different cultural backgrounds, we faced the same environmental challenges aboard the research vessel. In our free time, we also learned about each other's music and dances," said Dong Qianli, a student at College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University.

By the end of the voyage, the students had grown so close that they found it difficult to say goodbye, Dong said, describing the group as one family.