Chinese President Xi Jinping recently responded to a U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Maryland, praising their visit to China and expressing hope that they become ambassadors of friendship between the two nations. This exchange is part of a broader initiative inviting 50,000 young Americans to China over five years to foster people-to-people ties, with over 16,000 participants in 2024 alone. Xi emphasized that the future of China-U.S. relations hinges on youth exchanges, which build mutual understanding and dismantle cultural barriers through shared activities like pickleball.
Highlighting the historical and ongoing importance of grassroots connections—from “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” to current youth programs—Xi called for continued efforts to enhance cross-cultural engagement and remove obstacles to interaction. Marking the 80th anniversary of China-U.S. cooperation during World War II, he reaffirmed China’s openness to American people and commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through sustained people-to-people exchanges, aiming to promote peace, cooperation, and mutual benefit for both countries.
