Groups of children in colorful outfits gulped soft drinks from cups as they wandered and explored cultural booths at the Chinese Consulate General in New York over the weekend.

Nearly 300 children from six schools in New York City and Beijing gathered at the consulate on Saturday afternoon for the "Understanding Each Other, Building Closer Bonds, and Working Hand in Hand" special performance, promoting art exchange between American and Chinese youth.

The students sang and danced and participated in drama presentations, instrumental music and martial arts. They also sang popular songs bilingually in Chinese and English, including Listen to Me, Thank You and Singing and Smiling.

"This is the largest group we have hosted. I only regret that our space is too small; otherwise, I would have liked to invite all 650 children to visit," said Consul General Huang Ping.

Huang also introduced the "Young Envoys Scheme (YES)" program, which offers short-term exchange programs, international summer school programs, youth forums and fellowships. The program supports students from China and the US in furthering cross-cultural exchanges, not only in academics but also in music and art, helping children develop their interests.

The initiative started after President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden agreed in November in San Francisco to promote further youth exchange. Students from both countries are already participating and traveling this summer.

Throughout the week, the Beijing Student Jinfan Art Troupe, with students from more than a dozen schools in the Haidian and Xicheng districts of Beijing, had a packed schedule in New York. They interacted with students at the United Nations International School, held a special performance at Lincoln Center, and also engaged in a dialogue with Nobel Prize laureates at Columbia University. The visit marked the group's first trip to the United States since 2018.

The Beijing Student Jinfan Art Troupe has regularly toured the world and hopes to return to the US again during the winter vacation.

"This trip was filled with diverse activities, and we hope that American children can find time to visit China and explore, too. We would be delighted to host them in Beijing," Yao Wei, the executive director of the Beijing Shengtao Institute of Education Development and Innovation, told China Daily.

"No matter what form of art it is, art knows no borders, and there should be more exchanges between young people," he said. For example, the children not only performed traditional Peking Opera but also showcased gymnastics.

"Art helps people from both countries discover the beauty in each other. We welcome American schools to establish more connections with Chinese schools and invite them to visit Beijing," he added.

"Our students are currently learning dragon dancing in Sichuan. After just two or three days, I can see that they are already able to perform the dance beautifully," said Bo Yingkan, HuaXia Chinese school board chair.

"This is the first group from our school, and they have already arrived in China," he said. The school now has 22 locations on the US East Coast with more than 5,000 students.

"In the exchange between Chinese and American children, we have all learned a lot from each other. I see the enthusiastic smiles on the children's faces," he said. "As a promoter of cultural exchange between China and the United States, I believe it is very important. It allows children born in the US to understand Chinese culture because their roots and their parents have a deep cultural background in China."