U.S. and Chinese representatives met during the fourth annual U.S.-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange in November. Liu Yandong, vice premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, wrote in USAToday that the goal of the event was “to implement the important agreement President Xi Jinping and President Obama reached in June on building a new model of major-country relationships between China and the U.S.” The two countries work together to promote mutual understanding among their citizens to increase future cooperative relationships.

The U.S. Department of State participated in the exchange. Secretary of State John Kerry hosted Vice Premier Liu. Discussions focused on “(y)outh and innovation,” a theme that will continue into next year with “future cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science & technology, sports, and women’s issues.”

According to this year’s Open Doors Report, 819,644 students from China studied in the United States last year, over seven percent higher than the year before. More than 93,700 Chinese students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs, and 103,505 students worked toward a graduate degree. Most Chinese students (29 percent) studied business or management. Other popular programs included engineering, math and computer science.

Sources:

• U.S. and China strengthen bonds people-to-people: Column; USAToday
• U.S.-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange; Department of State