‘Xiplomacy’ strengthens China-US ties amid broader geopolitical tensions: Report

New Delhi, Jan 14 Amid United States President Donald Trump’s tariff pressures and rising military tensions over Taiwan, reports from Beijing suggest ‘Xiplomacy’ evolving as a quiet and effective diplomatic tool through youth exchanges and cultural diplomacy.

According to China’s state-controlled People’s Daily Online, since President Xi Jinping proposed the '50,000 in Five Years' initiative during his late-2023 visit to San Francisco, more than 40,000 American youths have participated in the programme.

The initiative aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period.

The efficacy of ‘Xiplomacy’ is reflected in the thoughts shared by members of the youth delegation as quoted by the news website on Wednesday.

After visiting Chinese cities in October last year, it said, “Members of the delegation wrote to President Xi to express their gratitude, saying the trip has helped them gain a better understanding of China”.

In a letter to Xi, the delegation members reflected on their visit, during which they experienced the country's blend of culture, education, technological innovation and warm personal interactions, reported People’s Daily.

Taking the outreach a step ahead, the President replied to the letter by the US youth education exchange delegation, encouraging “more young Americans to serve as a new generation of envoys in the China-US friendship”.

His answer, highlighted under the banner of 'Xiplomacy' in the reportage, follows the delegation’s October 2025 visit, where students and teachers engaged with Chinese culture, education, and innovation.

Delegation members, as well as long-time American participants in bilateral people-to-people exchanges, have said that fostering friendly exchanges and cooperation is the shared aspiration of the people of both China and the US, the report observed.

Xi’s response emphasised that the hope of Beijing-Washington relations lies in the people, and its future relies on the youth.

Visiting team-members described their experiences as transformative, citing activities such as practicing Tai Chi and building a traditional Luban bridge with Chinese students – symbolising friendship and cooperation.

Educators like Milinda Sylvain, principal of Diamond Minds Transformational Leadership Academy in Florida, said Xi’s letter conveyed that youth exchange matters and that their voices were heard at the highest level.

“My first reaction was one of deep surprise, gratitude, and honour. While we wrote with sincerity and respect, we did not expect to receive a personal reply,” the report quoted Sylvain.

The academy was one of several US institutions represented in the youth education exchange delegation to China.

“From our October trip, we learned that China is far more dynamic, welcoming and diverse than many of our students had imagined,” said the principal, which complements the underlying aim of ‘Xiplomacy’.

It is part of China’s broader narrative of “major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics”, which seeks to project 'The Dragon' as a responsible global power while countering narratives of rivalry and mistrust.

Observers note that Xi’s personal engagement in people-to-people diplomacy, being termed as ‘Xiplomacy’ – has become a hallmark of China’s outreach strategy, using cultural and educational bridges to strengthen bilateral ties amid broader geopolitical tensions.

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