"We need Chinese and Americans of all ages [and] professions...to get to know one another, to understand each other better, to connect and collaborate,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a signing ceremony today in Beijing launching the “U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange.” Noting that “government alone cannot solve the problems we face,” Secretary Clinton, along with Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong, asserted that the need for substantive interaction between the people of China and the United States is of tremendous importance:

The relationship between our two countries will change the 21st century. We want it to be a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship. We want it to be based on our people-to-people outreach and understanding. Our people represent our greatest resource in both of our countries. And encouraging their mutual engagement will better ensure that the United States and China make the most of this exciting time in our shared history.

The purpose of the Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, or CPE, is to “promote people-to-people engagement between the United States and China in education, culture, science and technology, sports and other related fields by providing a high-level annual forum for government and private-sector representatives to discuss cooperation in a broad, strategic manner.” Also announced at today’s signing ceremony, as outlined in Secretary Clinton’s remarks, were the following educational and cultural exchange initiatives:

• The launch of the “100,000 Strong: U.S. Students in China” Initiative: First announced by President Obama in Shanghai in November 2009, the initiative aspires to send 100,000 American students to study in China over the next four years;
• An effort to have 10,000 Chinese students supported to study for PhDs in the United States;
• An effort to establish American language and culture centers on the campuses of Chinese universities, similar to the Confucius Institutes already on dozens of American campuses.
• The broadening of support for English language instruction in China by way of the U.S.-China Fulbright Program and U.S.-China Friendship (Peace Corps) volunteers;
• The discussion of a proposal for a U.S.-China women's leaders forum.

Read the Secretary’s full remarks here, and a useful fact sheet on U.S.-China people-to-people engagement here.