LOS SANGELES, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet), by reporters Wang Jun and Liu Si -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping who was visiting the United States and his US counterpart Joe Biden visited the International Studies Learning Center (ISLC) in Los Angeles on February 17 local time and had a cordial conversation with teachers and students of the Center.

On their arrival at the school gate, Xi Jinping and his delegation were greeted by US Vice President Joe Biden, US ambassador to China Gary Locke, Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, and school leaders. Chinese and foreign students of ISLC warmly welcomed the Chinese delegation by playing traditional Chinese drum and dragon dance. Following the performance, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden stepped into a classroom, and there they had conversations with the students and answered their questions concerning Sino-US relations, educational and cultural exchanges, and Xi’s personal career and study. After that, the students presented T-shirts and their paintings to Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, with the shirt Xi received saying "Fostering Goodwill Between America & China" in English, and Biden's shirt saying in Chinese that the China-US friendship lasts forever.

Xi told the teachers and students that young people are the future of a country and education is the foundation of a nation. One important part of his visit is to come to the Center to communicate with the young students so as to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the younger generations of the two countries and create a better future for Sino-US relations. And this school visit can be seen as a "finishing touch" to his US visit.

Xi Jinping said that China has a traditional virtue of respecting knowledge, talent, and teachers, and attaching great importance to education. The United States has a well-developed education system and education in China has also been making great progress. Both China and the United States should continue to strengthen cooperation in the educational field, thus cultivating more competent talent for the development of both countries and for the grand cause of Sino-US friendship and cooperation. Youth is the best time in life. An old Chinese saying goes like this "Laziness in youth spells regret in old age." School-days are the golden age in life. Xi urged students to aim high, cherish time and study hard to lay a solid foundation for future success and become the envoys for Sino-US friendship and contribute their wisdom and strength to a better future for Sino-US relations. Xi also encouraged students to learn Chinese language well, get a deeper understanding of Chinese history, appreciate the charm of Chinese culture, and enhance spiritual communication and exchanges with Chinese people, especially young students so as to promote China-US cooperation.