President Xi Jinping said fostering friendly exchanges and cooperation is the shared aspiration of the people of both China and the United States.

Replying to a letter from a US youth education exchange delegation from Florida that visited China in October, the president noted that "the hope of China-US relations lies in the people, and its future relies on the youth," according to Xinhua News Agency.

Xi said more than 40,000 American youngsters have taken part in the "50,000 in Five Years" initiative, giving them the opportunity to understand the real China and boost the friendship between the two peoples.

The president said "he looks forward to more American youth joining the cause of China-US friendship, becoming a new generation of envoys of friendship between the two countries, and making greater contributions to enhancing people-to-people exchanges and promoting the development of bilateral relations," Xinhua reported.