Educational exchange and people-to-people engagement remain among the most promising areas for cooperation between China and the US following recent high-level talks between the two countries, according to John A. Quelch, executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University.
Speaking with DotDotNews at the 2026 Hong Kong Forum on Cooperation and Development, Quelch said the continued communication between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump sends a positive signal for bilateral relations and creates momentum for further dialogue throughout the year.
Quelch, who leads the Sino-US joint venture university jointly established by Duke University and Wuhan University in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, said educational cooperation plays an essential role in building mutual trust between the two countries.
He welcomed the reaffirmation by both sides of the importance of educational exchanges in the readouts following the recent meetings, describing such exchanges as a crucial channel for strengthening understanding across borders.
According to Quelch, universities and academic institutions can help maintain constructive engagement even during periods of geopolitical tension by fostering direct contact between students, scholars and researchers.
He also highlighted Hong Kong's unique role in the evolving landscape of international education, noting that the city has long served as a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures and remains home to several globally ranked universities.
Quelch observed that some mainland families are increasingly shifting their attention from studying in the US to pursuing higher education opportunities in HK, amid changing perceptions about overseas study options.
As a result, he said, HK universities are attracting a growing number of mainland students, reinforcing the city's ambitions to become an international education hub.
He said HK has strong potential to achieve that goal, but added that expanding student accommodation and campus facilities will be critical to supporting future growth.
(Reporter & Video Cutter: Zoey SUN; Camera Person: Lynn Zhou)
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