"I think it"s really important to give youth those opportunities, because it"s only by really meeting each other that you can understand what you have in common," Hoarfrost said.

　　A China-US table tennis friendly match is pictured at Shanghai University of Sport in Shanghai, east China, April 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

　　Beyond sports activities, cultural and technological exchanges have offered other ways for young people to connect.

　　In January 2025, a video of the U.S. children"s choir One Voice singing a popular Chinese song at Beijing"s historic Temple of Heaven drew attention on social media. Since then, the choir has been invited to visit different regions of China, performing and interacting with local children.

　　Some U.S. students have not only visited the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, but have also tried traditional Chinese medicine or learned calligraphy.

　　After trying on a traditional Chinese costume, Tristan Rice from Western Carolina University said that no matter how vivid China may appear in streaming videos, nothing compares with seeing and experiencing it in person.

　　For other students, visiting technology companies, such as Baidu"s technology park and Xiaomi"s automobile factory, offered a more complete picture of contemporary China. As China"s tech sector, particularly the robotics industry, continues to thrive, global perceptions of the country"s technological capabilities are changing profoundly.

　　Back in 2008, Rebecca Fannin, author of "Silicon Dragon," predicted the rise of China"s tech sector in her book, a forecast that was widely dismissed at the time. Today, the tide has turned.