BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday replied to friends in the US state of Iowa and sent them a Chinese New Year card extending his festive wishes, saying that regardless of how the situation evolves, the desire of the Chinese and American peoples for exchanges and cooperation will not change.

Recalling his visit to Iowa 41 years ago, Xi said he was warmly received, and those wonderful memories remain fresh in his mind to this day.

Xi said that the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in the societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels, adding that the bonds of mutual understanding and affinity between the youth of the two countries will not change.

Xi expressed 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-US friendship and promoters of peace and amity, so as to make greater contributions to the development of China-US relations.

Earlier, Luca Berrone wrote a letter to Xi on behalf of the Iowa friends, extending Chinese New Year's greetings to Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan. In his letter, Barrone said that the Iowa friends cherish and will continue to develop friendship with the Chinese people.

Berrone, along with Sarah Lande, Gary Dvorchak, Rick Kimberley, former US 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 5 Years" Initiative, also sent a Chinese New Year card to Xi and his wife, expressing their willingness to promote friendly exchanges between the two countries and contribute to the development of bilateral ties.