Youthful reflections and 2024 aspirations

She observed the increasing availability of flights between the US and China during her time here. "Previously, there were not many flights between the two countries. I had to fly through Dubai if I wanted to come to China for school," she said.

With the recent increase in flights, she acknowledged excitedly that many of her friends and family members in the US have expressed an interest in visiting China to learn more about the country.

Denis also recognized that as China has risen as a leading power, there have been significant changes in the global perception of the country.

"China is facing a lot more pressure on the global stage," she said. "I really appreciate how much effort China has put into engaging in open dialogue on the global stage. It shows China's desire for neutral and respectable communication."

Yusrin Zata Lini, an Indonesian student at Tsinghua University, echoed Denis's sentiments about China's receptiveness to other countries and cultures. "Maybe developing countries can learn a lot from China, like tackling climate change and pursuing sustainability," she said.

Lini's initial exposure to China was in 2019 for a brief three-day visit, which left a profound impression on her. After being awarded a scholarship by the Indonesian government in 2022, she promptly chose to pursue further studies in China.

To sum up 2023, Lini selected the word "sustainable", emphasizing the significant ties between China and Indonesia. "Indonesia is one of the major countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, and a lot of infrastructure projects are underway between China and Indonesia," she said.

Lini also expressed her hope for continued and enhanced sustainability in the future for the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, extending beyond just government-to-government relations to include people-to-people connections. "Many of my friends in Indonesia listen to Chinese music and watch Chinese dramas, which are very popular in my country," she added.

Nafees Nawaz, a Pakistani student pursuing a degree in educational psychology at Beijing Language and Culture University, chose "era of new friendship" as his keyword for 2023.

"The relationship of Pakistan with China has been very strong for decades, with extensive collaboration in technology, agriculture, and education. Additionally, there has been a growing number of intermarriages between people from the two countries. So, I think this is a new era of our friendship," he explained.