IOWA STUDENTS CHINA -- {WEB}
Metadata
- IOWA STUDENTS CHINA -- {WEB}
- February 8, 2024
- ((INTRO)) A hastily arranged all-expenses-paid trip to China for students from the Iowa town of Muscatine is the start of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s effort to welcome as many as 50,000 U.S. students to his country. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh explores Muscatine’s historic connection to China’s leader.
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script IOWA STUDENTS CHINA HEADLINE: Iowa High School Students Visit China on Invitation of President Xi Jinping TEASER: PUBLISHED: 2/7/2024 at 7:06p BYLINE: Kane Farabaugh CONTRIBUTOR: ASSIGNING EDITOR: Scott Stearns DATELINE: Muscatine, Iowa VIDEOGRAPHER: Kane Farabaugh PRODUCER: Kane Farabaugh SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Sharon Shahid, DJ (ok) VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO __ TRT: 3:02 VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath TYPE: EDITOR NOTES: ((INTRO)) A hastily arranged all-expenses-paid trip to China for students from the Iowa town of Muscatine is the start of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s effort to welcome as many as 50,000 U.S. students to his country. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh explores Muscatine’s historic connection to China’s leader. ((NARRATOR)) Muscatine, Iowa, high school student Cole Loos had never traveled beyond the United States when he was asked in January: Would you like to go to China? ((Cole Loos, Muscatine High School Student)) "I was lucky I had my passport to go.” ((NARRATOR)) The invitation wasn’t for a date in the distant future. Loos and 24 other students from his high school had less than ten days to commit to the trip and prepare to fly. ((Cole Loos, Muscatine High School Student)) “It was very spontaneous.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Ann Edkin / Muscatine High School)) Spontaneous, but by no means an accident. ((end courtesy)) ((NARRATOR)) In 1985, Sarah Lande hosted a group from China in Muscatine for several days on an agricultural research tour of the U.S. ((Mandatory CG: Iowa State Historical Society)) One of the participants was Xi Jinping, now president of the People’s Republic of China. Lande helped organize his stay in Muscatine. ((end courtesy)) ((Sarah Lande, Befriended Chinese Leader)) “Good things happen when you are a good friend to people, I guess.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: CCTV)) In 2012, Xi returned to Muscatine, visiting his “old friends” from Iowa in Lande’s living room. ((end credit)) Then last November, Lande attended ((Mandatory CG: CCTV)) a dinner on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. ((end credit)) In his remarks at the event, Xi expressed his desire to welcome thousands of American students to China, prompting Lande to follow up with a letter to her “old friend.” ((Sarah Lande, Befriended Chinese Leader)) “And I got a reply to that letter, and I said — I hope Muscatine can be a part of this. So, that probably was the incentive for this invite.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Ann Edkin / Muscatine High School)) Xi’s offer of an all-expenses-paid trip to China came with few strings attached. The Muscatine students and staff spent eight days visiting with local Chinese students, touring the Great Wall of China and other landmarks and cities, and participated in a conference for students learning the Mandarin language. Loos says it was hard to find any sign of U.S.-China tensions. ((Cole Loos, Muscatine High School Student)) “You felt very special over there.” ((end credit)) ((Heidi Kuo, Muscatine High School Mandarin Chinese Teacher)) “Actually I'm very, very proud of them. Seems like they grew super-fast in a few days.” ((NARRATOR)) Heidi Kuo, originally from Taiwan, teaches Mandarin at Muscatine High School ((Mandatory CG: Ann Edkin / Muscatine High School)) and accompanied the students to China. Of the many lessons they learned, she hopes one stands out. ((end courtesy)) ((Heidi Kuo, Muscatine High School Mandarin Chinese Teacher)) “The world is super big, not only us here.” ((Ann Edkin, Muscatine High School Teacher)) "That is mind blowing." ((NARRATOR)) Ann Edkin grew up in Muscatine, a city of about 23,000 on the banks of the Mississippi River. She now teaches at Muscatine High School ((Mandatory CG: Ann Edkin / Muscatine High School)) and was one of four staff who made the trip to China. ((end courtesy)) The connection between her community and China’s leader is a baffling but welcome relationship. ((Ann Edkin, Muscatine High School Teacher)) “The fact that he came here, that’s cool. But to have that ongoing relationship, and it’s not just a blip, but it's a continuing relationship that makes it so unique and special.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory CG: Ann Edkin / Muscatine High School)) As more students prepare for more trips to China, ((end courtesy)) Lande’s next goal is to encourage her “old friend” to return to Muscatine, which she thinks is perfect for a future summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. ((Sarah Lande, Befriended Chinese Leader)) “Muscatine would welcome it!” ((NARRATOR)) A potential venue could be the Muscatine home where Xi stayed in 1985, now preserved as a museum … mostly visited by Chinese tourists. Kane Farabaugh, VOA News, Muscatine, Iowa.
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Rights “Rights are not granted for this content on YouTube. Posting of this content on YouTube is strictly prohibited.”
- Network VOA
- Location (dateline) Muscatine, Iowa
- Embargo Date February 7, 2024 20:04 EST
- Byline Kane Farabaugh, VOA News
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English