WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- "When we sent the letter, it honestly felt like a shot in the dark," said Kiana Haywood, a senior student at Central Michigan University. "I didn't know if President Xi would actually read it, let alone take the time to respond to us."

Haywood was among nearly 100 students from 10 U.S. universities who recently wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping after participating in the Future Makers 2026 China-U.S. Youth Tour for a Shared Asia-Pacific Future and other exchange events in China.

And a reply did arrive on the eve of Xi's state visit to the United States.

In his letter, Xi welcomed the students' appreciation for Chinese civilization, their hope for friendly cooperation between China and the United States, and their willingness to act as envoys of friendship bridging the Pacific Ocean.

Noting that young people from both countries share the same planet Earth and jointly shoulder the mission of the times, Xi urged them to advance China-U.S. friendly cooperation, foster mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples, and contribute the vitality of youth to building a better world.

Xi has long maintained correspondence with American friends -- from Iowa acquaintances he first met in 1985 to veterans of the historic Flying Tigers who fought alongside China in World War II.

The exchange of letters also extends to a younger generation, as Xi replied in February, 2024 to students from Muscatine High School who had previously visited China and sent them Chinese New Year cards.

This growing connection is rooted in Xi's consistent championing of youth exchanges as a vital bridge between the two nations.

During his 2023 trip to San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over the next five years. By May this year, that goal had been reached two and a half years ahead of schedule.

"There are obviously much bigger conversations happening between our two countries," Haywood said, but the exchanges gave the students "the opportunity to meet each other, ask questions and actually experience one another's cultures instead of only hearing about them from far away."

Xi's reply letter reminded her that "relationships between countries are also built through relationships between people," she said.

Reflecting on her trip, she noted that while China's long history, rich culture and advanced technology have impressed her greatly, "the people left the biggest impression."

"We could ask each other questions, laugh together and realize how much we have in common," she said.

"I want to keep the friendships I made in China, share my experience with other students at Central Michigan University," she said, expressing hope that more U.S. students will have opportunities to visit China so that the personal connections will give them a "completely different perspective."

Similarly, Marlon Forrester, an associate in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, also participated in the 2026 China-U.S. Youth Tour. He noted that true affinity requires proximity.

"Mutual understanding and affinity between two people can only happen when we share space together," Forrester said, adding that participating students will become "ambassadors for this work through the direct partnerships with institutional and privately funded sources that can benefit their exploratory research in policy, science, humanities and the arts with our peers across the Pacific Ocean."

"As young people from different countries sharing the same planet, they have a responsibility to respect cultural differences, promote understanding, and work together to address global challenges," he said.

"Their mission is to use creativity, innovation, and collaboration to create a more just, sustainable and peaceful world. By learning from one another, caring for the environment, and contributing positively to their communities, they can help build a future that benefits people across borders and generations," Forrester said.

For Haywood, living out that grand mission can start with something small.

"To me, being an 'envoy of friendship' can start with something as simple as listening to each other and being willing to learn," she said.