A delegation of high school students from the U.S. state of Washington completed their first tour of China on Wednesday. The 11-day tour is part of a program initiated by China and dedicated to promoting youth communication and exchanges between the two countries.
U.S. students cheer while playing a game during a visit to Nanshan Foreign Language School (Group) Senior High School in Shenzhen. (Photo/Xinhua)
The delegation consists of 24 students from Lincoln High School and Steilacoom High School, as well as the schools’ staff members. They traveled to the cities of Beijing, Shiyan in central China’s Hubei Province, as well as Guangzhou and Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province, where they visited historical landmarks, had exchanges with their Chinese counterparts, and experienced Chinese culture.
During the tour, each student carried a panda backpack, which had become a unique characteristic of the delegation.
Panda backpacks loved by American youth
The panda backpacks were gifts from the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, one of the organizers of the youth exchange event, and had been well-received among the American students. Whether they were exploring iconic landmarks or participating in cultural exchanges with Chinese youth, these backpacks became steadfast companions.
U.S. students pose for a photo at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in Beijing, capital of China, March 20, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)
For a 15-year-old student from Steilacoom High School, the panda backpack carried a special significance. She expressed her deep admiration for Chinese culture, citing her fascination with elements depicted in the movie “Kung Fu Panda.”
According to Zhu Guyue, a student from Shenzhen Nanshan Foreign Languages School in Guangdong, when the delegation visited her school, her American peers showed her their panda backpacks and said, “I love China.”
The panda backpack. (Photo provided to GDToday)
Guo Shunyuan, Chair of the PLD Group, told GDToday that the Guangzhou-based company designed and manufactured the backpacks. The company was founded in 1970 and since then has developed from a furrier’s shop to a well-known Chinese brand designing women’s handbags.
“The organizer has sent me a lot of photos of the delegation and told me that the students love the panda backpacks,” said Guo, “I saw from the photos that the students carrying the backpacks while attending various experiencing events, and they looked really happy.”
“Hope foreign friends go home with good memories”
Speaking of the design of the backpacks, Guo elaborated, “When dealing with foreign friends, I found not only Chinese people like pandas, but foreigners also like the cute creature, and pandas represent peace and friendship, so we decided to design the panda backpack."
Guo said that the design team took only one week from selecting panda as the main design element to completing design and manufacturing. “We hope the design will make Chinese culture closer to the American guests.”
U.S. students carry the panda backpacks. (Photo provided to GDToday)
Starting from March 31, Chinese and U.S. airlines can operate a total of 100 scheduled passenger flights per week, facilitating the exchange of people between the two nations.
In this regard, Guo expects that the next time when American youth visit China, they can be invited into traditional manufacturing enterprises in Guangdong, since some techniques in the field containing Chinese traditional culture and even feature intangible cultural heritage, which will give the American teenagers a better understanding of China’s manufacturing culture. “I also hope they can share a few good ideas with us after visiting and blow a breath of fresh air into traditional manufacturing.”
Guo noted that in the future, when young people from other countries visit China, he hope private companies, such as PLD, can make their own contributions to help the foreign friends have a deeper understanding of China and go home with good memories.
Author | Lydia Liu, Steven Yuen, Feng Zhichao (intern)
Editor | Olivia Yang, Nan Hu, Will, James
