Bringing students together.
Building new ways to see the world.
An international student initiative fostering dialogue between young people in the United States and China, founded in 2025.
Converging Horizons is a platform to bridge Chinese and US students and foster dialogue to help students discover shared values and build fresh perspectives together, empowering them to tackle global challenges by collaborating across borders. Using multimedia storytelling, we humanize and destigmatize these experiences—creating space for empathy across linguistic, cultural, and geographic divides. We believe that the most powerful ideas emerge when young people listen to each other, challenge assumptions, and discover new common ground.
What is Converging Horizons?
Podcasts
Hosted by Victoria Tang, the Converging Horizons podcasts invite one student guest from each country to converse and share perspectives on various issues.
These podcasts bring to life the dialogue that can promote mutual understanding between the two countries’ youth, and to inspire a new generation to take these differences as a source of strength and creativity.
Consumer Culture
Isaiah Lee, Freshman at the University of ChicagoBlack Friday: Choosing Intention over Impulse
Isaiah Lee, a Freshman at the University of Chicago, reveals why saying no on Black Friday may be the most radical choice.
Jiayi Liu, Senior at Shanghai Jiaotong UniversityDouble Eleven Shopping Festival: How Can China Move Beyond the Frenzy of Consumerism
Jiayi Liu, a Senior at Shanghai Jiaotong University, explores how a marketing experiment turned Singles’ Day into one of the world’s biggest shopping events.
Role of Government
Ethan Kletter, Junior at University of Southern CaliforniaThe Role of Government in a Capitalist Society
Ethan Kletter, a Junior at the University of Southern California, argues that without rules, safety nets, and public goods, capitalism collapses under its own weight.
Huanqing Zhong, student at Fudan UniversityThe Role of Government in the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics
Huanqing Zhong, a student at Fudan University, examines the balance between an effective market and a proactive government within China’s socialist system.
Education System
Rena Kim, Freshman at University of California Los AngelesThe Illusion of Equal Opportunity
Rena Kim, a Freshman at UCLA, argues that the American education system, while claiming to offer equal opportunity, systematically advantages students based on wealth, access, and prior support.
Zhixian Wang, Student at Peking UniversityChinese Education: Striving Between Equity and Excellence
Zhixian Wang, a student at Peking University, contends that China’s pursuit of educational equity has come at the expense of creativity, holistic development, and substantive equality.
Climate Policy
Lucas Ying, Student at Boston CollegeIn The Face of Climate Change, America Must Decide What Leadership Means
Lucas Ying, a student at Boston College, examines how extreme heat is exposing the real human cost of climate inaction in the United States.
Zhe Sheng, Student at Tongji UniversityChina’s Climate Policy: Strategic Framework, Institutional Advantages, and Global Contributions
Zhe Sheng, a student at Tongji University, analyzes China’s ‘dual carbon’ strategy and how long-term planning drives climate action.
Artificial Intelligence
Liam Krenz, Student at Dartmouth CollegeAlignment Over Arms Races: Why U.S.–China Cooperation on AI Matters
Liam Krenz, a student at Dartmouth College, argues that U.S.–China cooperation on AI alignment could reduce global risk more effectively than rivalry.
Bin Xu, Student at Tsinghua UniversityAI Application and Development: Current Competitive Foci and Long-term Cooperation Opportunities in the Artificial Intelligence Industry
Bin Xu, a student at Tsinghua University, examines how China’s AI industry has shifted from technological breakthroughs to large-scale commercialization.
Founded in May 2025 by Victoria Tang
Victoria is a highschool student deeply interested in bridging U.S.-China dialogue. She has conducted field research in rural China and published her research findings. Her work has been recognized by The Concord Review, the Scholastic Writing Contest, and the National Youngarts Awards. She can be reached at vtang@converginghorizons.com.