(Photo provided to Xinhua Daily)

In the latest session of “Discover Jiangsu - American Youth Exchange Program,” American teachers and students recently visited Yixing, renowned for its exquisite teapots, observing how masters craft ware using zisha (purple sand) clay.

The Department of Education of Jiangsu Province is planning to invite more than 400 teachers and students from 24 states to participate in this session, which includes visiting schools, cities and engaging in cultural experiences.

The education delegation from South Pasadena High School visited Nanjing on June 14. Before this, they had visited Wuxi, Nantong, Zhenjiang and Yancheng, attending classes on traditional Chinese culture, arts and sports, together with Chinese students.

Some participants expressed initial concerns about adapting to the new environment, including food challenges or communicating with Chinese students. However, their tours in several cities showed that the locals were very friendly, prompting them to recommend their classmates to visit China and experience the culture firsthand.

At Nanjing No. 1 Middle School, they visited the laboratories, robotics workshops, rock-climbing base, and also tried their hands at Chinese landscape painting, brush calligraphy and diabolo. At Nanjing Zhonghua High School, they learned about calligraphy, traditional Chinese dance, and making traditional Chinese food, among other activities.

Many schools in Jiangsu are hosting international exchanges. For example, Nanjing Zhonghua High School has established sister-school relationships with schools in Germany, the UK, Singapore, the US and other countries, regularly hosting exchanges for students and teachers.

The program also included visits to GEM Co., Ltd. and Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill Textile Group, where teachers and students learned about waste recycling and disposal, fabric selection and application.

The “Discover Jiangsu - American Youth Exchange Program” has invited more than 1,400 American students over the past 10 years, said Jiang Yong, director of the Department of Education. Jiangsu is a leading province for foreign students studying in China, having welcomed 175,000 students from 185 countries and regions over the past five years. It is also home to 202 cooperative educational institutions and projects, one of the highest counts in China.

“I hope that the youth of China and the United States can strengthen their exchanges and contacts, continuously enhance their friendship, learn from each other, and serve as envoys of cultural exchanges between the two nations,” Jiang added.