Beijing Review: When Pacific Youth Wove Diplomacy in Jiangnan Mist!

BEIJING, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When youth from across the Pacific met the misty Jiangnan area, Suzhou, a city known for double-sided embroidery, unveils an immersive training ground for future diplomats. On July 16, the China-U.S. Future Diplomats Summer Camp was launched at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). Representatives from both nations, educators, and students gathered through keynote speeches and case studies, exploring the profound significance of youth exchange for China-U.S. relations. Subsequent Model UN Conference ignited intellectual engagement.

From July 16 to 17, young delegates engaged in multilateral diplomatic simulations, debating environmental governance, AI cooperation, and trade relations, honing cross-cultural negotiation skills through discourse.

Michael Alexander Buzzy, a PhD candidate at Wayne State University Law School, shared: "I must say this summer camp portion has been one favorite of my entire time in ChASC5 so far. My particular panel works on artificial intelligence (AI). This is something that's been impacting us all, especially recently through chatbots such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, giving us many experiences. And we all have shared experiences using those models, to be able to actually draw on our prior experience, dig into our understanding and our different backgrounds. We bring from artificial intelligence and help to try and produce a shared outcome. It is really meaningful. And this interpersonal exchange has been really powerful, as we each feel we have bought into the ideas that we're bringing forward. We feel mutually respected by our peers, and the result is really something we all agree on. That compromise and genuine connection we make through that is really, really special."

Liu Yuxuan, an undergraduate student in International Relations at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, noted: "What particularly excites me this time is the inclusion of American youth participants. Their presence amplifies diverse perspectives throughout our proceedings. Simultaneously, we Chinese delegates may assume roles representing China or portray American counterparts, and American delegates can advocate on behalf of China. This role-exchange mechanism enables delegates during preparation to deepen their understanding of current bilateral challenges and identify necessary actions to achieve mutually beneficial collaborative goals."

On July 18, the closing ceremony culminated this trans-Pacific youth dialogue. With the signing of the Youth Declaration for the China-U.S. Future Diplomats Summer Camp and award presentation, Suzhou's white-walled, black-tiled architecture bears witness to a shared commitment.

Li Liao, a high school student from Qinglai School, reflected: "Throughout these three days, what resonated most profoundly: despite representing different nations and governmental bodies, we unite in purpose, addressing collective global challenges. This embodies a defining truth of our contemporary world: divergent interests coexist, yet we bridge differences through mutual respect."

Hannah Kim, an undergraduate student majoring in International Relations and Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Canada, said: "I'm just so privileged to have even engaged in such a unique space in which we can bring delegates from all over China and also all over the world to come together and have really productive dialogue."

Michael Alexander Buzzy added: "I really enjoyed and appreciated how intentional, substantive, and kind the dialogue was. No one was necessarily super aggressive or argumentative, and we were really able to just come together as people and work out our differences to come up with a really substantive final result. It was a true privilege to be a part of it. I'd say the summer camp is enlightening and inspirational, innovative and engaging."

Hu Guoran, a student at the University of Toronto, remarked: "My most immediate takeaway was the extraordinary vitality of this event. We gained the privilege of connecting with outstanding peers worldwide and jointly discussing the planet's most critical and cutting-edge issues—a profound honor and rare privilege."

Song Jiachen, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, observed: "It is far more international than I'd envisioned. I'd worried it might become an insular echo chamber with limited authentic U.S. engagement but discovered substantial participation—and met Americans genuinely and deeply passionate about experiencing Chinese culture firsthand."

After the Summer Camp, delegates further delved into Suzhou Industrial Park, examining its technology-driven industrial transformation. By day, they explored Suzhou Museum, where within Ieoh Ming Pei's Jiangnan-inspired architecture, youths experienced poetical serenity.

Henry Frederick Gregory Collins, an undergraduate student in International Political Economy with a minor in Asian Studies at the University of Puget Sound, noted: "Today we're back with another video. We're exploring the textile section of the Suzhou Museum, looking at some wonderful examples of beautiful Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) clothing. As we can see here, this beautiful garment is something that could have definitely been worn by someone who is both a warrior and a scholar—someone who could wield the sword but was also well versed in ancient scriptures and stuff like that."

Noah Kekoa Candelario, an undergraduate student in International Political Economy at the University of Puget Sound, said: "I really like the architecture here. I believe that it was designed by Leoh Ming Pei. I heard very few things about him, but my grandparents are huge fans of his work. I remember sitting in a hotel back home in Hawaii with my grandparents; they were really in distraught when he sadly passed away. So it's amazing that you can find beauty in buildings as well. Since coming to China, I never expected that you're able to combine materialism and nature at the same time and make nature work for mankind."

Through tea ceremony gatherings and the pure tones of guqin melodies, delegates touched the essence of Eastern philosophy.

From July 7 to 23, 25 delegates selected via the International Student Conferences (ISC)'s 5th China-America Student Conference participated in "Across the Pacific: China-U.S. Youth Dialogue for a Shared Future," journeying from Beijing to Xi'an, Suzhou, and Shanghai for exchanges. This program is jointly hosted by the China International Communications Group Center for the Americas, the U.S.-based ISC, and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, with support from Xi'an Jiaotong University. The China-U.S. Future Diplomats Summer Camp served as a cornerstone initiative.

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Company Name: Center for the Americas, China International Communications Group
Contact Person: Tao Zihui
Email: [email protected] 
Country: People's Republic of China

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SOURCE Beijing Review