2009年11月，在谈及美中关系的战略重要性时，美国总统奥巴马宣布了 “十万强”的动议，一项旨在大幅增加在中国学习的美国学生数量和构成多样性的举国努力。国务部长希拉里·克林顿于2010年5月在北京正式启动该动议。中国政府大力支持该动议并已承诺给到中国留学的美国学生10,000份“桥奖学金”。

　　这一动议寻求筹备下一代即将负责管理日益增长的美中政治、经济和文化关系的美国中国问题专家。该动议还寻求为被忽略的学生开发到中国学习的具体机会和资金来源。

　　美国人在中国增加曝光度并了解中国的需要是明确的：在确保全球和平与安全方面，世界上也许没有比美中关系更重要或复杂的关系了。几乎没有什么重大国际问题——无论是全球经济复苏或气候变化或核不扩散——可以在没有美国和中国积极参与与协同工作的情况下得到解决。

　　美国人还需要了解中国许多。到美国参加教育项目的中国学生比在中国学习的美国人多八倍，学习英语的中国人比学习普通话的美国人多600倍。这种知识上的不平衡可能破坏两国之间的战略互信。弥补这种知识的不平衡对确保美国人拥有支撑有效外交和对外政策的文化理解和语言技能至关重要。它还将提高我们的学生在全球经济中取得学术和专业成功的能力。

　　美国人对中国的兴趣在上升。自2001至2007年，来华学习的美国人数量每年增长30%，我们期待这些数字在可预见的未来继续增长。例如，在2007至2008学年，13,165名美国大学生和约1,000名高中生为某类学习项目来到中国。虽然这个有机增长令人鼓舞，但现在的趋势可能不足以应付这个极其重要的关系中现实的挑战和机遇。

　　这次努力是对国务部教育与文化事务局，美国教育部和美国国防部的现有海外学习和语言学习的努力成果的补充。

　　但是，与那些项目不同，“十万强”倡议完全依靠私人部门的慈善支持，将资金引向现有的寻求拓展项目的美中教育交流项目。早些时候的估算显示为资助这个雄心勃勃的尝试将需要6,800万美元。

　　欲知更多信息，请联系Carola McGiffert至mcgiffertc@state.gov">mcgiffertc@state.gov。McGiffert女士是负责东亚和太平洋事务的助理国务部长的高级顾问，以及“十万强”倡议的主任。

　　Citing the strategic importance of the U.S.-China relationship, in November 2009, President Barack Obama announced the “100,000 Strong” initiative, a national effort designed to increase dramatically the number, and diversify the composition, of American students studying in China.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially launched the initiative in May 2010 in Beijing.  The Chinese government strongly supports the initiative and has already committed 10,000 “Bridge Scholarships” for American students to study in China。

　　This initiative seeks to prepare the next generation of American experts on China who will be charged with managing the growing political, economic and cultural ties between the United States and China.  The initiative also seeks to develop specific opportunities and funding sources for underrepresented students to study in China。

　　The need for Americans to gain greater exposure to and understanding of China is clear: there is perhaps no more important or complex relationship in the world than that between the United States and China in terms of securing global peace and security.  Virtually no major international issue – whether global economic recovery or climate change or nuclear non-proliferation can be solved without the active engagement of both the United States and China, working in concert。

　　Yet Americans have much to learn about China.  Eight times more Chinese students come to the United States for educational programs than Americans who study in China, and 600 times more Chinese study the English language than Americans study Mandarin.  This imbalance in knowledge can undermine strategic trust between the two countries.  Redressing this imbalance in knowledge is essential to ensuring that Americans have the cultural understanding and language skills that underpin effective diplomacy and foreign policy. It will also enhance our students’ ability to succeed academically and professionally in the global economy。

　　Interest in China is on the rise among Americans. The number of Americans studying in China grew 30 percent annually from 2001-2007, and we expect those numbers to continue to grow for the foreseeable future.  In the 2007-08 school year, for example, 13,165 American college students and an estimated 1,000 high school students went to China for some type of study program.  While this organic growth is encouraging, the current trends may be insufficient to meet the real challenges and opportunities of this vitally important relationship. 

　　This effort complements successful existing study abroad and language study efforts by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Defense。

　　Unlike those programs, however, the “100,000 Strong” Initiative relies fully on private-sector philanthropic support to direct funds to existing U.S.-China educational exchange programs that are seeking to expand their programs.  Early estimates suggest that at least $68 million will be required to fund this ambitious effort。

　　For more information, please contact Carola McGiffert at mcgiffertc@state.gov.  Ms. McGiffert is a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, and Director of the 100,000 Strong Initiative。