On February 16, 2026, President Xi Jinping replied to friends in the U.S. state of Iowa and sent them a Chinese New Year card in return, extending his festive greetings.

Xi Jinping said that 41 years ago when he visited the beautiful State of Iowa, he was warmly received by the people there, and those fond memories remain fresh in his mind to this day. He pointed out that the hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grassroots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges. No matter how things may change, the will of the Chinese and American peoples for exchanges and cooperation will not change, and the amity and friendship between young Chinese and Americans will not change. Xi Jinping also expressed the hope that these friends will remain committed to promoting friendship between the people of the two countries, encouraging more young Americans to be inheritors of China-U.S. friendship and promoters of peace and amity, so as to make greater contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations.

Earlier, Luca Berrone wrote to President Xi Jinping on behalf of Iowa friends, extending Chinese New Year greetings to the President and his wife Professor Peng Liyuan, and stating that Iowa friends cherish and will continue to develop their friendship with the Chinese people. Luca Berrone, Sarah Lande, Gary Dvorchak, Rick Kimberley, former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, President Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation Kenneth Quinn, as well as teachers and students from Iowa who participated in the "50,000 in five years" initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs for a five-year period, jointly sent a Chinese New Year card to President Xi Jinping and Professor Peng Liyuan, expressing their willingness to promote friendly exchanges between the two countries and contribute to the development of bilateral ties.