On July 23. the 2026 Across the Pacific: China-U.S. Youth Dialogue for a Shared Future program came to a close in Beijing. At the closing ceremony, Chinese and U.S. university students were divided into three groups to share insights on three themes—rural areas and environment, technology and innovation, and intercultural communication.
From July 3 to 23. the 2026 Across the Pacific: China-U.S. Youth Dialogue for a Shared Future program traveled from Washington, D.C., and Missoula, Montana in the United States, to Kunming and Dali in China’s Yunnan Province, as well as the country’s capital of Beijing. Through field visits and in-depth exchange, the participants gained first-hand insight into rural development practices, ecological conservation efforts, technological advances and the diverse societies of both countries.
Tyler James Smith
It’s important to have different perspectives and engage in those different perspectives firsthand. As my mom likes to say, you have friends for a reason, a season and a lifetime. And I think that a lot of the friendships that I’ve made have been, or are going to be, lifetime friendships.
Evelyn Zhang Neff
This experience has been truly one of the most amazing things I’ve done so far. I’ve never gotten the opportunity to make so many connections in such a concentrated amount of time. So being able to participate has been just like everything to me.
Jade Nicola Faircloth
Now that the conference is wrapping up, it’s very bittersweet. I grew up around Chinese culture, practicing a lot of the customs and traditions at home. So it was really cool to visit the place where those traditions originated, and experience it all firsthand.
Dominique Addison
My family has actually hosted Chinese exchange students for about eight years now. So that’s been my main outlet of understanding the country. But this was more like a deeper and more authentic lens to experience the country through.
María Paula Mora
Actually, this program was the one that gave me this perspective of the Global South. This program definitely showed me the importance of cross-cultural communication and understanding. I feel that’s something that still needs to be developed within the Global South. My perspective for the future after this is just to start searching for opportunities to do research in China.
Liu Yuxuan
I think the purpose of this conference is to help people build new impressions and new connections through first-hand experiences, reflections and conversations. I really cherish these human connections we have built.
Erik Larson
I think our time both in Montana and Yunnan especially stands out to me, because those were kind of the places that most delegates hadn’t really been to before. That was just a really fun time of bonding and [doing] cultural exchange, where we got to learn a lot about each other and about our respective cultures.
Li Liao
When we were planning the program, the first place I recommended was my hometown. I really hoped everyone could visit my hometown to experience its culture and traditions, and enjoy its natural beauty. And Yunnan did not disappoint. It made everyone fall in love with it.
Cecil Kenneth Brooks, Jr.
Being able to lay down on the beaches by the [Dianchi Lake] is something that really changed what I think about China, because I’m used to hearing about tall buildings, the advanced trains and everything being online. But to see how the people in China take seriously the environment around them, to see how the ethnic communities have cultures that are keeping them connected to the land, make me challenge my perception and find more things to appreciate about the country.
Yang Yiting
I was very happy to see that everyone had a great interest in China’s ethnic minority groups. They were willing to look beyond the general symbols that represent China to understand what our ethnic folk songs are singing, what the patterns and designs of our ethnic clothes symbolize, and what the stories of our ethnic minority communities tell.
Wu Ziyu
Through this ChASC program, I made so many great friends and learned so many new things. The most memorable experience for me was visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The moment I stepped into the Blue Hall, it felt like the people I’d only seen on TV had suddenly come to life and were standing right in front of me.
Lily Berry
As an agricultural major, it was really fun to be able to experience the countryside and the daily lives of people not living in these larger cities.
Valerie Marie
It all honestly went by so fast. It was really amazing getting to know everyone. I also feel like I got a really good glimpse into what local life is like in a rural area and an urban area in China.
Xiong Yifan
Over the course of these 21 days, we visited four amazing cities. The conversations shared over meals, the late-night talks, the laughter and the support we gave one another became the most meaningful part of the journey.
Sriya Rama Uppalapati
I would just like to say, I think I gave it my all and I have no regrets. Up till now I was quite unsure of my future, but now I know there are so many things out there. I just think the world is so wide open. There’s so many things you can do. And [the program] just exposed me to a lot of opportunities.
Huang Ziqing
If I had to sum up these 20 days in just one word, I would choose “fulfilled.” Before joining this program, I hoped to make friends from different cultural backgrounds and to share my own country’s culture with them. And over the course of these 20 days, I was able to do exactly that.
Ryan Steven
This is my first time outside of the United States. I think it’s changed my views [of China], because I got to see the culture and the people here.
Xu Chuanxin
It was my first time visiting the U.S. Before this trip, I didn’t have any American friends. They are the first Americans I’ve truly come to know as friends. After spending time together and getting to know one another, I realized we have so much in common. I hope that 10 years from now, we will all have made our mark in our respective fields.
Liu Yajing
Just a little while ago, I was talking with one of my fellow delegates. I told him I was worried that tomorrow, when you all leave, I might cry. I said I really wanted to see you off at the airport. And he said to me, “Don’t worry. We will meet again.” There’s a saying that I really love—”The moment we say goodbye, we are already one step closer to meeting again.”
Bai Yiwen
I truly believe this is just the beginning. I am sure we’ll have the chance to see each other again. Maybe one day they’ll come to China, or I’ll go visit them in the U.S. Either way, I’m sure this is not the end.
Branson Chi
I learned “huali de,” “piaoliang de,” and “meili de,” all from my fellow Chinese delegates. And I definitely think that the younger generation has together built upon shared values. We share our emotions, our empathy, and our love for each other in a universal way that transcends languages, that transcends borders, that goes beyond just the Pacific to around the world. I feel like the people in this delegate group have been able to portray that beautifully—”huali de.”
