American students depart with best wishes

The 190-member delegation of students and teachers from 14 high schools across the United States has departed Shanghai after their two week tour of China.

They visited Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang before arriving in Shanghai on Tuesday.

During their three-day stay in the city, they had a city walk in downtown Xintiandi Area, shopped in the landmark Yuyuan Garden Malls, visited universities where they learned more about higher education in China, and communicated with peers in local schools, where they experienced traditional Chinese culture, cooperation in innovation and made new friends.

At a closing ceremony on Friday evening, Shen Xin, secretary-general of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, extended an invitation to the youngsters to come back to China in the future as envoys of friendship.

"China is big, its history is long and its culture rich, a single trip of about 10 days cannot let you have a full understanding about this country," he said.

"But I believe at least it should have opened the window for you to understand China and built a bridge for future exchanges. As a Chinese saying goes 'strangers at the first time and friends at the second', when you come next time, you will no longer feel strange to this country and you can reunite with the friends you've made this time."

London Meyer from Muscatine School said the experience in China had been amazing, and all students were grateful.

"Personally I was very nervous to come to a new country on my own, but all of the people that I met have been so welcoming," she said.

"I could have never anticipated the amount of kindness and openness that all the people here have shown me. We've seen so many amazing places and I can't wait to go back home and tell my family and friends about my experience.

"I hope that one day I can return to China with more people to show them what I have learned."