Xi's words inspire visiting US students

Connor Mackriell, a high school student from Tacoma in the US state of Washington, started his first visit to China this week, together with about 190 students and teachers from a total of 14 high schools in seven US states.

The trip, which will take them to Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces as well as Shanghai in the course of about two weeks, is part of an initiative, announced by President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November, to invite 50,000 young people from the United States to visit China over the next five years.

In a message read to the "Shared Journey of Friendship" US Youth Exchange Delegation at a welcoming ceremony on Monday, Xi extended his welcome to them and reiterated the important role of people-to-people exchanges in China-US relations.