Editor’s Note
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The story of China-U.S. friendship is written by the people, and the future of China-U.S. relations is shaped by the youth.” During the recently concluded “China-U.S. Teenage Ambassador” Beijing Visit, teenage ambassadors explored the unique charm of Beijing, where tradition blends with modernity, and experienced firsthand the vibrant momentum of the capital’s high-quality development through activities centered on three themes: “Innovation,” “Civilization,” and “Livability.” Through communication and exchanges, they deepened mutual understanding and friendships. Many expressed their willingness to serve as bridges of China-U.S. friendship and contribute their youthful strength to the stable, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.
From July 26 to 30, 2026, the “China-U.S. Teenage Ambassador” Beijing Visit was successfully held. Teachers and students from Baltimore City College in Maryland of the United States and Beijing School embarked on a journey of exchanges in Beijing, aiming at deepening mutual understanding and friendship.
Harnessing Youthful Energy for People-to-People Exchanges
On a fresh summer morning with bright sunshine, the “China-U.S. Teenage Ambassador” program was officially launched at Beijing School on July 27. Students from Baltimore City College and Beijing School, with their faces full of youthful energy, looked forward to the exciting summer days ahead in Beijing. By spending time together, youngsters from the two countries would learn from one another, deepen their bonds and build lasting friendships.
The teenage ambassadors from two countries introduced themselves, paired up with one another and strolled around the beautiful campus, while discussing and planning the vlogs they would create over the following days. In the evening, they took a boat sightseeing along the Grand Canal. In the gentle evening breeze, they listened to their peers from Beijing School introducing the canal’s long history and rich culture of waterborne transport, while appreciating the splendid cityscape along its banks. Vivian, a U.S. student, said excitedly that experiencing firsthand the history behind the Grand Canal made the visit especially precious.
During a discussion with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the teenage ambassadors learned about the history of people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States. They listened to touching stories of the Flying Tigers and the Bond with Kuliang, and engaged in lively discussions on how the younger generation could continue carrying forward China-U.S. friendship. Elias, a U.S. student, said, “I had heard these stories before coming to China. Learning more about the details today is deeply moving.”
Experiencing the Momentum of Cutting-Edge Technology
At the Robot World, the teenage ambassadors had a close look at the robots’ impressive range of capabilities—from folding clothes and making coffee to street dancing and even performing medical procedures. Humanoid robots “Lingxi” and “Li Bai” chatted with the students and exchanged lines of poetry with them. The robot “Einstein” also interacted with the teachers and students on topics such as “How can teenage ambassadors help promote China-U.S. friendship?” and “How can Baltimore deepen exchanges and cooperation with Beijing’s districts?”
“These robots can switch freely between Chinese and English, and they can even make coffee. That’s so cool! I hope these technologies can be adopted more widely soon so that more people can benefit from them,” said Franchesca, a U.S. student. Another U.S. student, Vivian, showed great interest in the application of AI in the healthcare sector. She thought that one of the most valuable applications of AI is helping people live healthier lives, and expressed the hope that China and the United States would strengthen cooperation in this field.
At the Beijing High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone, the teenage ambassadors learned in detail about the ICV technology system based on vehicle-road-cloud integration and enthusiastically took rides in autonomous vehicles, experiencing firsthand how smoothly the vehicles navigated busy urban traffic. The students exclaimed that “the future is already here!” Chelsea, the teacher leading the U.S. delegation, said: “This technology is rarely seen in the United States. What the students saw today truly broadened their horizons, and I believe such experience will inspire their dreams of innovation”.
Feeling the Enduring Cultural Legacy of an Ancient Capital
The teenage ambassadors climbed the Badaling Great Wall, experiencing for themselves the heroic spirit embodied in the saying, “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true hero.” They then visited Shixia Village at the foot of the Great Wall, where they heard stories of local residents protecting the Great Wall and passing on its cultural heritage. Through hands-on activities such as grinding grain with a traditional stone mill, tasting local specialties, and visiting homestays, as well as through the village Party secretary’s plain and sincere remarks, they obtained direct insight into the dynamic development of China’s countryside in the new era.
Their visit coincided with the second anniversary of the inscription of the Beijing Central Axis on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The teenage ambassadors visited the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven to appreciate the beauty of traditional Chinese architecture. They also took a sightseeing tram along the Central Axis, hearing stories about its World Heritage inscription and learning about Beijing’s history of more than 870 years as a capital city. As the historic lanes and urban fabric of the old city unfolded before them, they experienced the distinctive charm of Beijing, where ancient heritage blends seamlessly with modern life and a rich cultural legacy lives on.
During the program, the teenage ambassadors also visited the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, where they toured the “Auspicious Year after Year” Global Zodiac Design Competition Invitational Exhibition and tried their hand at intangible cultural heritage crafts such as painting Peking Opera masks. They left their messages in the guestbook expressing a shared hope: “We hope more people will come to understand and love Chinese culture.”
Experiencing People-Centered Urban Governance
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the planning and development of Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC). At the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, the teenage ambassadors learned about the history of the Grand Canal and the cultural values it embodies, including openness, inclusiveness and an unyielding spirit of self-improvement. They also learned about the planning and development vision for this millennia-old lake-strewn city featuring blue sky and lush green fields. Strolling through the Grand Canal Forest Park and along the Wharf of West Bank, they joined local residents in enjoying a leisurely evening by the canal, with a gentle breeze and shimmering lights reflected on the water.
At Beijing Library, 144 ginkgo tree-like columns hold up a vast knowledge space, evoking the sensation of walking through a library in a forest. The distinctive “Book Mountain” and intelligent book-borrowing facilities attracted the teenage ambassadors. The U.S. students said they hoped Baltimore could one day have a public reading space like this for its residents.
Even the best of gatherings will eventually come to an end, but every farewell carries the hope of meeting again. At the program’s sharing session on July 30, the Chinese and U.S. teenage ambassadors found it hard to say goodbye to each other. Together, students from the two countries jointly took up brushes to write a large Chinese character “和” (“harmony” in English), bringing their days together to a warm close and expressing their shared hope for an ever-deepening friendship in the years ahead.
“This trip has changed the way I think about my future,” said Franchesca, a U.S. student representative. “After experiencing Beijing in person, I realized that I don’t want this to be just a one-time visit. I want to come back, explore more fields, learn Chinese, and help build bridges for friendly exchanges between China and the United States.”
The “China-U.S. Teenage Ambassador” Beijing Visit, as part of the “Chinese and Foreign Teenage Ambassador” youth exchange program, was jointly hosted by Beijing Foreign Affairs Office and Beijing Municipal Education Commission, and organized by Beijing School. Moving forward, Beijing Foreign Affairs Office will continue to promote exchanges between young people in Beijing and their peers around the world, further strengthening public support for friendly exchanges between China and other countries around the world.
