BEIJING -- As President Xi Jinping has repeatedly pointed out, the future of China-US relations depends on the youth. For years, Xi has worked to foster friendly exchanges between young people in China and the United States.

During his 2023 visit to San Francisco, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year span.

Shortly after, Lande, who maintained correspondence with Xi, wrote to him, expressing hope that Muscatine High School students could join the program.

With Xi's support, over 20 Muscatine students visited Beijing, Shanghai, Hebei and other places in China in January 2024, becoming the first group of American students to participate in the program.

After their visit, the students, delighted by their experiences, wrote a letter to Xi. In a reply, Xi told them he felt happy for them. He encouraged more young Americans to visit China to get a first-hand experience of the real China and foster genuine friendships with their Chinese counterparts.

In April, another group of Muscatine students arrived in Hebei. They made a special trip to Zhengding county to visit the place where Xi once worked.

Luca Berrone, board of directors of Iowa Sister States, escorted the students on the trip. Berrone met Xi in 1985. He mapped out a two-week itinerary for Xi's first Iowa tour and spent hours driving the delegation to farms and plants. Their friendship has endured over the decades.

Berrone sees these exchange trips as an opportunity to introduce a new generation to the friendship between China and the United States. He is hopeful about "passing the torch" to the younger generation.

Joseph McNeely, a student from Muscatine who traveled to China thanks to the exchange program, expressed his gratitude to Berrone: "Thank you for continuing the friendship between you and President Xi and for helping this trip come to light."

McNeely made some Chinese friends from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School during the trip. As a symbol of friendship, they planted a tree in Hebei.

This year, during the Chinese Spring Festival, Berrone hosted Chinese students from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School in Iowa. The students were on vacation, touring the United States and making new friends in Muscatine.

As he had many times before, Berrone shared his story of hosting Xi and other Chinese delegates in Iowa 40 years ago. "Their stay, even though brief, made the connection with the families opening up their homes and their hearts."

"That connection was the first building brick of a relationship that has lasted 40 years and continues to grow as a wonderful friendship and an inspiring story for relations between China and the United States," Berrone added.