US students get firsthand experience of vibrant Chinese commerce and culture

US student Grace Ho Lee from Lincoln Park High School checks out Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang province on July 21.

Alma Ruby Romay (left) and Santa Monica College student Annaliz Yazici view small commodities in Yiwu of Zhejiang on July 21.

Liu Haoran (left) from Communication University of Zhejiang and Kiara Verenice Flores from Franklin University Switzerland hold stuffed toys at Yiwu International Trade City, China's largest small commodity export market, in East China's Zhejiang province, on July 22.

Krista Ming Lee (center) of Loyola University Chicago visits Dongqian Lake in Zhejiang with two other US students on July 21.

Alma Ruby Romay from California's Orange Coast College drives a CHERVON Group's e-vehicle in East China's Jiangsu province on July 26.

College students Sofia Lin Cesarone (center) and Yu Jiabei (right) experience Chinese paper-cutting in Quzhou of Zhejiang on July 23.

Aria Lan Cesarone (left), from Barrington High School in the US, takes part in a tea-making event in Zhejiang on July 18.

Students visit Pairdeer's factory to learn about green battery production in Ningbo of Zhejiang on July 21.

When a group of students from the United States visited Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the sight of countless rows of containers and distant ships stretching beyond the horizon sparked a flood of thoughts.

For them, China, previously an abstract concept across the ocean, began to take on a clearer image.

"I never could have imagined all the things that I use were being made so far from where I live and the process of them getting to me…It really shows the important role China plays in the world… providing for other countries," said Annaliz Yazici, 18, from Santa Monica College in California.

"I was able to connect the dots between the port and the Yiwu market, where goods are wholesaled and then exported through the port to destinations around the world," said Kiara Verenice Flores, 18, who lives in Los Angeles and studies in Franklin University Switzerland.

Yazici and Flores, along with 18 other US students, visited the port in the Yangtze River Delta region of eastern China on July 21.

During their trip stretching two weeks, the students also traveled to Qingshan village in Zhejiang province to learn about rural revitalization and explored Yiwu International Trade City, the largest small commodity export market in China, to gain insights into China's import and export trade and digital trends.

Their livestreaming activities at the trade city drew the attention of many US youngsters. They were fascinated by the dynamic, real-time interaction between small commodity sellers and buyers, showcasing the vibrant and innovative aspects of e-commerce.

The students said the experience offered them a firsthand look at how digital platforms are transforming global trade, making it an intriguing and memorable part of their visit.

"This type of business is not as prevalent in America. Without this program, I would never have had the chance to experience e-commerce livestreaming and see this kind of work firsthand," said Krista Ming Lee, 20, from Loyola University Chicago.

Grace Ho Lee, 17, is interested in business and marketing. The Lincoln Park High School student said she is considering studying and working in China after her visit to Zhejiang.

"China offers so many opportunities in media, marketing and various business fields," she said.

The tour is part of Youth With You: 2024 China-US Student Cross-cultural Exchange, a project jointly organized by the Global CSR Foundation and ICN Television Network, which recruited US youths to visit China and had a total of 40 participants from the US and China.

"It aims to enhance communication between Chinese and American students, fostering a better understanding and appreciation among American youths of China's rich traditional culture, ecological advancements, and technological innovations," said Zhao Jing, president of the Global CSR Foundation.

Thomas Patrick Gehl, a former adviser to the US Executive Office of the President's Council on Environmental Quality and vice-president of the Global CSR Foundation, said, "One of the most important things we can do is to bring people together for mutual understanding."

"They can understand that people on the other side of the world are not just similar to them but that there are many aspects of the other culture and society to admire. Imparting this understanding to young minds helps shape their entire worldview," he said.

Beatrice De Salles, member and global ambassador of the United Nations Association of Orange County and member of the World Affairs Councils of America, praised the deep friendships formed between the youth of both countries.

She noted the positive changes she observed in the US students in just a few days and encouraged them to share their experiences in China with those who have never visited the country.

"We grew up in very different ways, but I wanted to connect with Chinese students who are similar to me in age. I also wanted to meet more American friends who share these interests," said Sofia Lin Cesarone, 20, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

"I think visiting different Chinese cities is a great way to understand the various facets of China," she said.