U.S. students savor cultural exchange week in Jiangsu

The Collegiate Immersion Bootcamp for U.S.-based Institutions recently kicked off in east China's Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, drawing participants from eight American universities.

Throughout the week-long bootcamp, 90 teachers and students will take part in a variety of activities in Jiangsu's multiple cities. Students will also engage in lectures and seminars, sharing insights on global concerns from a younger perspective.

"I really like this program because it does allow these newer generations, these younger faces to see different aspects of everything. And that's really important because it harvests these people-to-people connections, and we get to see how other people think and then use those to create these new ideas for the future," said Linden, an American college student.

In addition to academic engagements, students have enjoyed diverse cultural activities and field visits, experiencing the charm of the province's ancient water towns.

"I've always been very interested in Chinese culture and Chinese history. I have loved it even as we are walking around. I've always been focused on the food and the architecture. And that's what I know about the most. So, this has been one of the best trips I've ever been on. China has been an incredible place to visit, and we are only seeing a small part of the country. But I can imagine that there's so much more culture, history, and interesting parts to explore. So, it's definitely worth coming out here and taking a look," said Kyle, another student participant.

The bootcamp, aimed at fostering mutual understanding and people-to-people connections between China and the U.S., is part of China’s initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years, which was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco on November 2023.

U.S. students savor a week of cultural exchange in Jiangsu Province

U.S. students savor a week of cultural exchange in Jiangsu Province

The Indian stock market opened in the red on Thursday as Indian exports to the U.S. face a 27 percent tariff according to the United States' latest trade policy under President Donald Trump.

Economists are warning of the potential impacts on the Indian economy, while the country's Department of Commerce is examining the implications.

Market experts say that Indian equities are likely to experience some fluctuations but will recover after initial losses.

"Tariff means high cost. It means slightly low exports. So the stock markets will react negatively on the first day, but by the second day they will realize that it is basically relative disadvantage," said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative.

"The worst depression that the global economy has seen in history happened because of the trade war that U.S. had unleashed, and I think we should be reminding ourselves to also be very resolute about what is going on," said Biswajit Dhar, an expert in international trade.

Other Asian countries face a similar situation, but with even higher tariffs. Experts say investors may relocate to India but with conditions.

"Some investors may feel for some labor intensive goods like electronics or garments and textiles, there is a possible chance to relocate to India, but investor needs certainty. They cannot operate in uncertain environment," said Srivastava.

The tariff move is part of the U.S. broader strategy to address the 46-billion-dollar trade deficit between the two countries. Trump has defended his policy, saying that these tariffs are designed to "level the playing field" and encourage fairer trade practices.

Indian stock market opens in red after Trump announces 27 percent tariff