Closing ceremony for the 2026 US Youth Exchange Camp takes place at the Nantong Vocational University on Aug 11. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Forty Chinese-American youths from across the United States concluded their 12-day journey of cultural and technological exploration in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, on Aug 11, bidding a fond farewell to their Chinese peers and teachers.

The closing ceremony for the 2026 US Youth Exchange Camp was held at the Nantong Vocational University.

Addressing the ceremony, Qiang Yi, Party secretary of NTVU, highlighted the immersive experiences that allowed the participants to engage with China's rich cultural heritage and modern technological innovations. He emphasized the camp as a significant achievement of the university's efforts to support the national youth exchange and study program and to foster cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the US.

Team leader Fu Shaohong expressed heartfelt gratitude to the teachers and volunteers who ensured the camp's success. Zhang Chunshan, a representative of the participants, shared her memorable experiences in pottery and tie-dye classes and her visits to cities like Nantong, Shanghai, and Suzhou, promising to share them with her friends back in the US.

The ceremony concluded with awards for outstanding participants and a cultural performance featuring traditional Chinese attire, dance, and poetry. The event ended on a high note with a group rendition of My Great China, symbolizing the deep connections formed during the camp.