American students from Iowa and their Chinese counterparts strengthen a long-standing tradition of people-to-people exchanges.

Against the backdrop of blooming cherry blossoms in early spring, the seeds of friendship between a group of Chinese and American students are also flourishing beautifully.

Atop the rolling peaks of the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing, students from Iowa, the United States, and their peers from a school in Shijiazhuang, capital of North China's Hebei province, climbed a nearly 70-degree staircase, overcoming the challenging yet enticing stretch together.

"It's super hard, but we're almost halfway there. We've got this!" said Kenya Lopez, pausing to snap selfies with her friends as she climbed.

Lopez is part of a group of 102 high school students and teachers from five Iowa schools who embarked on a weeklong Inheritance of Friendship Study Program in China from March 16 to 22.

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The delegation, led by Dan Stein and Tony Joseph, chairman and vice chairman of the Muscatine-China Initiatives Committee, and Krista Lee Regennitter, program director from the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, visited Beijing, Shijiazhuang, and Shanghai, immersing themselves in Chinese culture, history, and people-to-people exchanges.

"The trip highlighted how grassroots youth interactions continue to nurture the enduring people-to-people friendship between China and the US," said Pei Hongxia, principal of Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School (SFLS), which hosted the journey.

According to Pei, each American student was paired with a Chinese student from the school, all of whom are fluent in English, to help them better understand the places and culture during the tour.

A journey of discovery

Their itinerary included iconic landmarks like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City in Beijing, along with hands-on cultural experiences in Shijiazhuang — learning calligraphy, paper-cutting, and Chinese painting, planting trees in Zhengding county, and bonding with Chinese peers over dumpling-making.

At the Badaling section of the Great Wall, American and Chinese students paired up to climb steep staircases, snapping selfies and cheering each other on.

Some held hands for support, while others raced ahead until they finally reached the southern fourth tower — a high vantage point offering a sweeping view of the Great Wall as it snaked through the mountains like a "coiled dragon", as described in Chinese lore.

For Tristan Jorn Reidel of Muscatine High School in Iowa, who was visiting China for the first time, the breathtaking scenery left a lasting impression.

"In Iowa, we have some hills, and I've seen mountains, but this is on a whole different scale," he said, gazing at the distant peaks with his Chinese partner. "It's tiring, but I think it's worth it."

After riding a cable car down the mountain, the students were captivated by the Great Wall souvenirs. From coins to buildable models, they took a piece of Beijing's mountain landscape back to the US.

For many American students like Reidel, this was their first encounter with China.

"I've been to a few countries surrounding it but never actually inside China," said Kaj Espen Larsen, a student also from Muscatine High School, during a tree-planting event in Zhengding county.

"I had a few friends who came on a similar program last year. And the whole summer, they were talking about it and sending me pictures. So, when I heard there was an opportunity to sign up again this year, I was really excited," Larsen said.

The program he mentioned is the Inheritance of Friendship Study Program for Chinese and US teenagers in Hebei and Iowa, launched by bilateral schools in 2023 to mark the 40th anniversary of the sister state-province relationship between Iowa and Hebei.

SFLS has been conducting frequent reciprocal visits and exchanges with sister schools in Iowa since 1997.

Every year, teachers and students from SFLS are dispatched to Iowa, while teachers and students from Iowa's sister schools are invited to visit China.

"At the end of the day, we just both wanted to be friends, sharing our cultures with each other," Larsen said, adding that people from the US and China are more alike than they are different.

His Chinese partner, Yan Yixin, a senior at SFLS, echoed the sentiment. "Cultural differences exist, but mutual respect and curiosity bridge the gaps. Our friendship proves that."

Cultural immersion

In Shijiazhuang, the group explored some local traditions. At SFLS, for example, they tried paper-cutting, tai chi fan dances, and calligraphy.

"I messed up the strokes, but my partner patiently guided me," one of them laughed, holding up an ink-splattered Chinese character.

During a visit to the Hebei Museum in Shijiazhuang, Yan explained to her partner the symbolism behind Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) artifacts like the gold-threaded jade burial suit, while Larsen shared stories from his own background.

"For anyone who can come and have an experience like this, I will absolutely recommend it," Larsen said.

Even a visit to the zoo sparked interesting conversations. While observing pandas at the Shijiazhuang Zoo, Yan shared stories about this national treasure.

"Pandas symbolize peace and friendship in Chinese culture. China often sends them to other countries as a sign of goodwill. They're like friendly ambassadors," Yan explained.

She also spoke about Sun Wukong (Monkey King), a central character in Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel, "He can do all kinds of amazing things and teaches us the power of perseverance and cleverness."

"This visit to the zoo is really eye-opening. I can learn so much about Chinese culture through these animals," Larsen said.

"The youth are the future inheritors of Sino-US friendships. By learning together, laughing together, and overcoming challenges side by side, they plant seeds of trust that will grow into towering trees of friendship," said Principal Pei.

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Her words resonated during the tour's symbolic tree-planting ceremony in Zhengding, where students shoveled soil and planted saplings in an area labeled "China-US Friendship Youth Woods".

As the delegation departed for Shanghai on March 21, souvenirs tucked into luggage included Great Wall coins and museum badges. Yet the most enduring takeaways were intangible. "I've been taking a lot of pictures," Larsen said. "After we travel, I always like to sit with my family and friends back home and flip through them."

For Yan, the experience has enhanced her understanding of the US. "I've learned a lot about American history and culture, practiced my English skills, and formed deep friendships," she said.

"These kids are writing the next chapter of our friendship," Pei said.

Zhao Xinyu, Gao Xinran, Cao Xinyi, and Zhang Xin contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn