University students from the United States are making rubbings from inscriptions on wooden tablets. They carefully apply ink and press paper to create prints, experiencing the intangible cultural heritage firsthand.

Over the years, Wenzhou-Kean University in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, has offered various exchange programs. Students from the US visit museums, companies, and villages, experience cultural heritage, join handicraft workshops and interact with Chinese peers.

"My exchange experience in China was life-changing. I've come to not only love Chinese culture but also the hospitable people," said Zinnyah Nutornti, who's an undergraduate in an exchange program at Wenzhou-Kean University.

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Nutornti from Kean University in the US joined a two-week summer exchange program at Wenzhou-Kean University in 2025 and eager to experience more of life in China, she later applied for a semester-long exchange.

She recently took a weekend trip to Hangzhou in Zhejiang province with her roommate.

"Words can't even begin to describe the immeasurable amount of joy, exploring the mountains and West Lake. I became so overwhelmed with emotion. There were multiple moments when I had to stop in the middle of our trip to think about how much more life has to offer. After returning, I began to consider moving to China to settle down," she said.

She said such opportunities open doors for the younger generation to explore the world and build real connections.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the official signing of the cooperation agreement between Wenzhou University and Kean University to jointly establish Wenzhou-Kean University.

Back in 2006, President Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, witnessed the signing ceremony in the US.

In November 2023, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young people from the US to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period.

In early 2024, the university responded to the call with a plan to welcome 1,000 teenagers from the US to China over the next five years, and it has already hosted 501 young people from the US.

Pan Jianzhong, chair of the board of directors of the university, said China-US youth exchanges have shifted from "having exchanges" to "willing to engage", and from "visiting China" to "immersing themselves in China". It proves that when young people challenge stereotypes and reach out to each other, their connection can become the most vibrant and solid foundation for China-US people-to-people friendship.

Taishun county in Wenzhou is known for its well-preserved wooden arch bridges, built with traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon joints that require no nails or rivets.

In 2024, traditional designs and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges were transferred from UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In 2021, Wenzhou-Kean University started the Kean Twin Bridge Program to promote the culture of Chinese arch bridges abroad. The university has organized students from the US to visit Wenzhou's covered bridges, produced a bilingual short video about them, and held an artificial intelligence video contest on covered bridges.

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"Through this concrete cultural symbol, we aim to give young people from the US a more direct sense of the Chinese culture," Pan said. He added that they encourage joint research on the culture and protection of covered bridges, with resources from both universities in China and the US.

Matthew Wood, lecturer of graphic design at Wenzhou-Kean University, teaches students to create three-dimensional reconstructions of the ancient covered bridges in Wenzhou. "Students can learn practical skills, local history and the importance of preserving cultural heritage at the same time," he said.

"China boasts rich and unique regional cultures. Wenzhou's covered bridges are aesthetically pleasing and integrated into the surrounding mountains and rivers; they still function as social hubs for locals."

Contact the writers at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn