Chinese and US students craft mother-of-pearl brooches at Furen Middle School in Wuxi. [Photo/WeChat account: jssjyt]

A group of 26 teachers and students from two high schools in North Carolina, the United States, visited Wuxi from April 2 to 3 as part of the 2026 Discover Jiangsu American Youth Exchange Program, experiencing the city's rich cultural heritage and modern vitality through immersive activities.

At Furen Middle School, a robotics challenge sparked enthusiasm among Chinese and US students. Divided into multiple teams, participants worked together to program and operate robots to complete tasks such as capturing and transporting balls. "I really enjoyed watching our team control the robot to complete tasks — we did a great job," said Jacob, who praised the engaging STEM courses offered at the school.

Traditional culture sessions were equally engaging. The visiting students designed mother-of-pearl brooches, learning about intricate intangible cultural heritage techniques. They also practiced basic movements from Chinese opera, including sleeve gestures and stylized horse-riding steps, and tried their hand at making dumplings, gaining insight into Chinese culinary traditions.

Students participate in a traditional weaving session at Jiangnan University in Wuxi. [Photo/WeChat account: jssjyt]

The exchange also fostered meaningful personal connections. Chinese student Zha Junhao quickly bonded with his US peers and even sang his school song, earning warm applause. Another student, Bian Jiahe, struck up a conversation with her counterpart Kathrine, discovering shared interests ranging from favorite toys to math topics, and they exchanged contact information.

"I'm happy to make international friends and introduce Chinese culture to them," Bian said. Kathrine recorded videos throughout the visit and plans to create a video to share her experience in Wuxi with family and friends.

"It's my first time in China, and the experience has been amazing," said Ivanna, another US student. "The beautiful campus, advanced technology and kind, friendly students have all left a deep impression on me."