US, China to intensify people-to-people exchange

WASHINGTON: The US and China have agreed to deepen cooperation and intensify people-to-people exchange to ensure a better future for bilateral ties.

An agreement in this regard was signed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong during the closing Session of the 2013 US-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) yesterday.

"By improving and expanding the ties between the people of our two countries, the CPE is providing critical gateways to important solutions. Well, the President and I and our counterparts in China know that enabling people in countries to come together in pursuit of those goals will lead not only to greater understanding, but eventually to an even stronger partnership between our two countries," Kerry said.

Kerry said that there is great potential for athlete, cultural, and scientific exchanges to help solve problems for the benefit of all.

US President Barack Obama, in a message to the event, said the world is looking to the United States and China to work together to solve pressing challenges.

The CPE aims to strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and China in the field of education, culture, science and technology, sports, and women's issues.

Noting that people-to-people exchange between China and America has a time-honoured history, Liu said, the establishment and development of the CPE is a major event in people-to-people exchange and the history of bilateral relations.