U.S.-China people-to-people exchanges

Washington and Beijing have entered a phase of hardened rhetoric, reciprocal sanctions, and reduced people-to-people engagement. The risk of miscalculation is now dangerously high.

While relations between the U.S. and Chinese governments are unlikely to improve, the relationship between the two peoples can still weather the storms ahead.

The arc of one English teaching program in Shenzhen reflects broader trends that have eaten away at Americans’ interest in working and studying in China.

After the U.S. government threatened to ban TikTok, American users discovered an unlikely haven: Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media app.

The recent thaw is not all rhetoric: many Chinese people, especially the youth, express strong interest in building constructive relations with the U.S. and Europe.

As Beijing and Washington look to resurrect people-to-people diplomacy, a group of 12 American college students headed to China to play ping-pong. 

Stephen Mull, vice provost for global affairs at UVA, discusses the university's version of ping-pong diplomacy, and the state of China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges.

The biggest outcome from the meeting was a promise to keep talking on a whole host of issues. But that achievement shouldn't be underestimated.

It's a step in the right direction, but there are still substantial hurdles - both logistical and political - for Chinese students to come to the U.S.

The Trump administration is willing to sacrifice a source of long-term relationship and knowledge building in a bid to punish current Chinese behavior.

Insights from Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch.