Media Report | Wenzhou Daily: A Window into Friendship Between Chinese and U.S. Youths Wenzhou-Kean University Welcomes 340 Young Americans in Two Years

With the last section of concrete poured, the main structure of the “American Garden” at the 15th China (Wenzhou) International Garden Expo was recently topped out.

Jointly designed by Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU) and Kean University, the exhibition garden will feature a distinctly American rural style upon completion. Corn, beans, and squash—known as the “Three Sisters,” the staple crops of Native American agriculture—will be planted throughout the garden. The symbiotic relationship among these three crops reflects the designers’ hope for people-to-people exchange that transcends national borders.

Vincent Peu Duvallon, Professor of Architecture at Wenzhou-Kean University and one of the designers of the American Garden, said, “President Xi Jinping once said that the hope of the China–U.S. relationship lies in people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. Those words deeply resonated with me. I have worked at Wenzhou-Kean University for eight years, and to me, WKU is like a window—one that continuously reveals the positive force of exchanges driven by people and youth across borders.”

Wenzhou-Kean University is located at the foot of Bijia Mountain, about 14 kilometers from the American Garden site. In May 2006, with the support and encouragement of Xi Jinping, then Secretary of CPC Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University and Kean University held the signing ceremony of cooperation in establishing Wenzhou-Kean University. In 2014, China’s Ministry of Education officially approved the establishment of WKU. Today, the campus, covering a planned area of 494 acres, has been recognized as one of UNESCO’s “World’s Most Beautiful Campuses” for 2024. WKU is home to nearly 5,500 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, offers 18 undergraduate programs and nine graduate programs, and has established partnerships with 11 universities worldwide.

Inside and beyond this “window”, interaction and exchange continue to flourish. As more young Americans come to China, a growing number of Chinese students are also stepping onto the international stage through Wenzhou-Kean University.

In early 2024, in response to the initiative to “invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs over five years,” WKU launched the “WKU Thousand-Student Program,” which aims to attract 1,000 American youths within five years. Since its launch, more and more young Americans have crossed the Pacific to participate, and in less than two years, WKU has hosted more than 340 American students.

In August 2025, the highly anticipated AFS Youth Assembly was held at the UN Headquarters in New York, bringing together government and business representatives from over 80 countries. Six WKU students participated in the event. During the discussions, sophomore Fu Dongyu raised the issue of digital health for young children, which drew broad resonance. Another student, Xiao Wenjing, discussed future career planning with Tonia Gayle, Executive Director of Green City Force, earning wide recognition from attendees. By speaking up and sharing their perspectives, WKU students became a highlight of cross-cultural exchange at the assembly.

From the World Young Scientist Summit to the China–U.S. Young Maker Competition, Wenzhou-Kean University has served as a “window” through which diverse resources converge and connect. These platforms have expanded the international horizons of both students and faculty and opened up broader life and career pathways. In recent years, WKU has achieved what it calls the “two 70 percent”: over 70 percent of its undergraduate students have chosen to pursue further studies, and among them, 70 percent have been admitted to the world’s top 100 universities.

The energy gathered through this “window”—from both Chinese and international youth—also resonates with local development.

Using the “window” as a bridge, Wenzhou-Kean University has become deeply integrated into the development of Wenzhou. The university actively engages in the construction of large-scale incubator clusters, builds an international model of university-community collaboration, and promotes the development of the Kean International Science and Innovation Community. WKU has established partnerships with more than 300 enterprises, and nearly 40 percent of its high-level international faculty lead student teams in providing technical services for more than 100 companies. The university has also established schools for the children of foreign personnel and international kindergartens and participates in “Common Prosperity Demonstration Zone” initiatives in areas such as Taishun and Rui’an. In 2025, at the Dongtou International Design–Build Festival jointly launched by Wenzhou-Kean University, Kean University, and the Wenzhou Maritime Garden Construction Command, more than 40 Chinese and American faculty members and students spent eight days transforming marine waste into four vibrant outdoor art installations. Through hands-on creative practice, the project has promoted ecological awareness and sustainable development.

“As a Chinese–American cooperative university, Wenzhou-Kean University is rooted in China while opening a window to the world,” said Pan Jianzhong, Party Secretary of Wenzhou-Kean University. “We remain committed to developing WKU into an international, innovative, and high-level university. Our goal is not only to cultivate young people with a global vision and a strong sense of responsibility to their country, but also to contribute WKU’s wisdom and strength to China–U.S. friendly cooperation and people-to-people exchange.”

Cultural Milestones

◆In May 2006, Wenzhou University and Kean University held the signing ceremony of cooperation in establishing the Wenzhou-Kean University.

◆In 2014, Wenzhou-Kean University was officially established.

◆In August 2016, the Overseas Chinese Youth “China Roots Trip”: Wenzhou-Kean University Branch Summer Camp, was hosted at the University.

◆In 2018, Light-up the future of Wenzhou with creativity: the 2018 Wenzhou (Kean)-Italy Design Forum was held at WKU.

◆In 2020, the first science-sharing panel of the 2020 World Young Scientist Summit was held at Wenzhou-Kean University.

◆In May 2021, the bilingual video series Find My Wenzhou with Wenzhou-Kean University, produced by WKU faculty and students, won first and third prizes at the “Tell China’s Stories” Contest.

◆In 2022, WKU students presented a model of Taishun’s lounge bridge to Kean University President Lamont Repollet, promoting its global outreach.

◆In June 2024, on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Wenzhou-Kean University, President Xi Jinping sent a reply letter to Kean University President Lamont Repollet, recognizing WKU’s remarkable achievements and its role as a flagship project in China–U.S. educational cooperation.

◆In December 2024, WKU’s contemporary architecture project received the “World’s Most Beautiful Campus” award at the Prix Versailles.

◆In October 2025, Wenzhou-Kean University Institute for China–U.S. Cultural and Economic Studies was approved as one of Zhejiang Province’s first provincial-level key cultivation platforms for regional and area studies, creating a cross-disciplinary, cross-border think tank for academic research and China–U.S. exchange.