A delegation of students from California State University Long Beach, also known as CSULB, in the United States, recently had an immersive tour of Qingdao, Shandong province.
The tour was held from Sunday to Friday and organized by the Qingdao Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and the Long Beach-Qingdao Sister City Association, and aimed to foster people-to-people exchange between the two cities.
Qingdao and Long Beach established their sister city relationship in 1985, leading to extensive cooperation in economy and trade, port management, education, and cultural exchanges.
The US students delved into Chinese culture and technological advancements during the six-day trip, enhancing their communication with local peers. The itinerary included visits to significant landmarks and companies in the city, such as Haier, Tsingtao Brewery, and the Qingdao Port.
As part of the cultural experience, the students participated in traditional activities like paper-cutting, learned about traditional Chinese medicine, and enjoyed a taste of Beijing opera.
One of the highlights for the students was witnessing the advanced automated terminals at the Qingdao Port, leaving a lasting impression on Khang Kenneth Huynh, a 21-year-old supply chain major at CSULB.
Huynh expressed admiration for the technological sophistication of the port, noting the prevalence of automation, robots, and larger-scale shipping and product orders compared to Long Beach.
Throughout the tour, he engaged in cross-cultural discussions with Chinese and American peers, emphasizing the importance of approaching differences with an open mind.
"I came to China with an open mind, trying to understand from a new perspective as much as possible," said Huynh. Despite acknowledging differences and misconceptions between the young generations of both countries, he highlighted the common ground that unites them.
Huynh encouraged more interactions between young people from China and the US to foster mutual understanding.
The trip also marked the official launch of the fourth batch of the pen pal exchange project between Qingdao University of Technology, or QUT, and CSULB.
Mia Linda Castillo, a 21-year-old senior majoring in engineering at CSULB, expressed excitement about meeting her Chinese pen pal, Lin Yuxia, a 22-year-old student from QUT, in person.
Castillo and Lin had been communicating through email and WeChat since October, discussing various topics ranging from daily habits to cultural events in both countries. She emphasized her openness to firsthand experiences and eagerness to learn about China's art, food, and diverse cultures.
Lin echoed Castillo's views, saying that the younger generation represents hope and the future for both countries. She called for inclusiveness, mutual respect, and increased exchanges between young people from China and the US to build bridges for the future.
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