US high school student delegation visits SZ

Video from Shenzhen Satellite TV

A delegation of high school students from the U.S. state of Washington paid a visit to Shenzhen, as part of a program dedicated to promoting youth communication and exchanges between the United States and China. The delegation included students and staff members from Lincoln High School and Steilacoom High School.

The delegation arrived in Shenzhen the evening of March 24, visiting places such as Guangdong Neilingding-Futian National Nature Reserve and Nanshan Foreign Language School the following day. 

On the early morning of March 24, the young visitors embarked on a tour of Shenzhen, utilizing the city's famed electric sightseeing buses to reach the Guangdong Neilingding-Futian National Nature Reserve. There, they marveled at the natural beauty that Shenzhen has to offer.

The tour continued to Shenzhen's tallest open-air observation deck — the catwalk atop the 360-meter Shenzhen Bay Intelligence Center in the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, which is dubbed "a Mirror of the Sky." From this vantage point, they enjoyed a panoramic view of the city, immersed in the clouds.

"I've never seen so many skyscrapers in my life, and the view from here is amazing," said a U.S. student from Strathcone High School who hails from a small town in the United States. He admitted to not having heard of Shenzhen prior to the visit to China.

Following the breathtaking views, the group participated in a tree-planting event near the estuary of the Qianhai Shuangjiehe River. The 24 U.S. students paired with peers from Shenzhen's Nanshan Foreign Language School to plant trees that symbolize their burgeoning friendship.

In the afternoon, the U.S. delegation joined students from Nanshan Foreign Language School to immerse themselves in Shenzhen school life. Activities included dancing, singing, playing games, painting, paper-cutting, sports, robot assembly, and dumpling making, among other cultural exchanges.

The delegation concluded their Guangdong tour this morning, departing from the Shenzhen airport to Beijing. Later in the afternoon, they boarded a flight back to the United States.

All 24 students in the delegation are visiting China for the first time. The delegation’s China trip began in Beijing on March 17, then to Shiyan in Hubei Province on March 22, Guangzhou on March 23. During their stay in Beijing, the delegation visited historical landmarks such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and venues for hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2022 Winter Olympics. The students also visited the campuses of several Chinese schools, and participated in cultural activities such as martial arts and fan painting with Chinese peers.

In Shiyan, the U.S. students, dressed in traditional martial arts attire, practiced kung fu atop Wudang Mountain; while in Guangzhou, they learned about traditional Chinese medicine and tried their hands at calligraphy, paper cutting and other traditional Chinese crafts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his trip to the United States in November 2023, announced the program to invite 50,000 American youths to China in the next five years for exchanges and study.

Members of a delegation of high school students from the U.S. state of Washington interact with students from Nanshan Foreign Language School (Group) Senior High School during their visit to the Shenzhen school Monday. Photos from Xinhua

U.S. and Shenzhen students write calligraphy.

U.S. and Shenzhen students pose for a photo with their calligraphy works.

U.S. and Shenzhen students react during a classroom activity at Nanshan Foreign Language School (Group) Senior High School.

U.S. and Shenzhen students dance and perform together.

U.S. and Shenzhen students paint for fun.

Members of a delegation of high school students from the U.S. state of Washington and students of Nanshan Foreign Language School (Group) Senior High School plants trees as a symbol of their burgeoning friendship.