BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- "You are here with the gift of young life, which, like the morning star, shines with hope for the unborn day of your country's future," said Chinese President Hu Jintao quoting Rabindranath Tagore, a famous Indian poet, during his stay in New Delhi in November.

    Speaking in front of 200 youth representatives from India and China, he encouraged his audience to participate in bilateral friendly relations in the future.

    This year has witnessed the largest ever number of youth exchanges between China and foreign countries.

    There were more than 100 exchange programs in 2006, involving about 2,500 foreign youngsters visiting China and some 1,000 young Chinese going to countries all over the world, according to the Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China (CYLC).

    "As an important part of people-to-people diplomacy, Chinese young people's exchanges with foreign youngsters are positive in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship in order to push ahead state-to-state relations," said Jiang Guangping, who is in charge of CYLC international affairs.

    "Young people play a vital role in developing friendly relations between two countries," said Liu Jiangyong, professor from the Beijing-based Tsinghua University.

    "Youth exchanges help to carry out the goal of building a harmonious world, a concept the Chinese president put forward at the 2005 UN Assembly," Liu said.

    A 100-strong Russian youth delegation came to China this year to attend a forum on China-Russia youth friendship.

    Four hundred young French people in art, commercial, social and scientific fields came to China, the largest and first of its kind between China and any western European country.

    The year 2006 also marked the 50th anniversary for exchanges between Chinese and Japanese young people and a series of exchange activities were held in both countries.

    Tanimoto Tatsuya, a Japanese official who participated in these activities, said he would actively promoting dialogue and exchanges between young politicians of the two countries.

    Liu believes that the future development of state-to-state relations depends on the people-to-people interaction especially between young people.

    "Only if the young people get to know each other better and clear up any misunderstandings, bilateral ties will progress, and a harmonious world can be achieved," he said.

    Some 500 more young people from Pakistan and India will have a chance to visit China in the next five years.

    "Youthful vigor and dynamism are the most powerful resource in forging ahead friendly relations between two countries," Liu said.

    "The future of the world rests on young people who will decide the development of a nation's long-term strategy," he said.