WASHINGTON -- China will continue to support China-US educational exchanges, encourage exchange programs, and deepen collaboration between universities of the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said.

"Nowadays countries are interconnected and interdependent, and people-to-people exchanges are an everlasting driving force for the development of bilateral relations," said Qin in his remarks to students at the Welcome to Class of 2025 of New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai) event on Tuesday.

Qin congratulated the students on their upcoming study and life at NYU Shanghai, China's first joint-venture research university with the United States.

"As Confucius said, 'Three persons together, and you will find a mentor.' It is hoped that students of NYU Shanghai will value the opportunity to share perspectives with teachers and students from different countries, and show accommodation for each other," said Qin.

The ambassador wished the students every success and believed that they will find in each other lifelong mentors and friends and become goodwill ambassadors between China and the world.

Approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education and founded in 2012, NYU Shanghai is a joint-venture higher education institution between East China Normal University and NYU. It is one of NYU's three degree-granting campuses.