Exchange offers tech, culture in Chongqing

Twenty-three young people from the United States arrived in Chongqing, a major manufacturing center in Southwest China, on Friday to participate in the Bridge of the Future China-US Youth Exchange Program.

Their five-day visit is part of a larger initiative announced by President Xi Jinping in November aimed at bringing 50,000 young people from the US to China over the next five years to foster cultural exchanges and mutual understanding.

The visiting delegation, which includes representatives from prestigious universities such as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Michigan as well as professionals from Fortune 500 companies like Amazon and Verizon, toured the Seres Auto Super Factory in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area to learn about China's advances in new energy vehicle production and the integration of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and big data in the manufacturing process.

"China and the US are powerhouses, and there's so much to learn from each other," said Lucy Jiang, a 27-year-old user experience researcher at Amazon. "Collaboration is key to progress."

The program also delves into China's rich cultural heritage, and the delegates visited historical sites in Chongqing such as the Ciqikou and Songji Ancient Towns, where they experienced traditional arts and crafts.

They also paid tribute to the shared history of China and the US during World War II at the Chongqing Stilwell Museum. Dedicated to late US Army general Joseph Stilwell, it commemorates the collaborative efforts of Chinese and US forces during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

Soma Freeman, a 21-year-old student from Northern Arizona University, said the exchange program was a "fantastic opportunity" and she was looking forward to the delegation's visit to Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.