On June 10th, the opening ceremony of "Hello Shenyang" China US Youth Summer Camp, jointly organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shenyang Municipal People’s Government and Shenyang Normal University, was successfully held. Ye Hang, Deputy Director of the Shenyang Foreign Affairs Office, Tong Yuping, Vice President of Shenyang Normal University, and young representatives from Chicago of the Unites States attended the event.

In his remarks, Deputy Director Ye Hang noted that since the launch of President Xi Jinping’s "50,000 young Americans to China in five years" initiative, teenagers from China and the United States have deepened mutual understanding and friendship, learned from each other, and written a new chapter in the China-U.S. friendship. "This year marks the 40th anniversary of sister city relations between Shenyang and Chicago," he stated. "This summer camp serves as a significant people-to-people exchange event celebrating four decades of friendship between our cities." Ye encouraged participants to cherish this valuable opportunity, explore the unique charm of “International Shenyang”, forge lasting bonds with local youth, and serve as envoys carrying forward the people-to-people friendship.

Vice President Tong Yuping introduced Shenyang Normal University's achievements in global education, expressing hope that participants would gain a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture through this program. She encouraged them to share their experiences and insights with more international friends, thereby contributing to U.S.-China educational collaboration and stronger people-to-people bonds.

During the opening ceremony, captivating performances of traditional Chinese arts—including folk songs, Beijing opera, and bamboo flute music—took the stage in succession, drawing rounds of applause from the American campers. One of the campers expressed their enthusiasm: "We're thrilled to be in Shenyang and cherish this valuable opportunity. We aim to improve our Chinese language skills and deeply immerse ourselves in Chinese culture—particularly exploring this city's historical and cultural heritage and modern achievements. We hope to serve as friendship envoys between China and the United States."

This two-week summer camp features five key components: language learning, expert lectures, traditional craft workshops, field visits, and interactive sessions. Participants will get hands-on experience with quintessential Chinese arts like Peking opera, tea ceremonies, paper-cutting, and sugar painting. They'll explore cultural landmarks including Shenyang Imperial Palace and Liaoning Provincial Museum, and will also travel to Beijing to visit iconic sites such as the Great Wall, Bird's Nest, and Water Cube.