Damien Liles (left), graduate student at Beijing International Studies University, represents the US in the Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency finals in Beijing in 2013. Photo provided to China Daily

After winning a Chinese-speaking contest in the Washington area and heading to the world finals in Beijing in 2013, Damien Liles decided to study in China.

He is now a first-year graduate student of international conference interpreting at Beijing International Studies University.

The Baltimore nativehas wanted to go to China for a long time and always "dreamedof doing work related to Asia".

"When in the US, I got an impression about China through films and books in class," said Liles, who earned a bachelor's degree in Chinese from the University of Maryland in 2013.

"I knew about traditional holidays and ancient culture and was familiar with kungfu stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan," he said.

Liles read Romance of the Three Kingdoms twice before going to China, a historical masterpiece and one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, but still "rarely knew about contemporary China" until he studied there.

New exchange programs for Americans wereagreed to in February in Beijing by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) and the 100K Strong Foundation.

Co-hosted cooperation includes the Foundation's Annual Conference, the AmCham China American Ball, participation in the annual US-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, joint events with the USEmbassy and Chinese government, as well as internships and scholarships, according to a 100K Strong report.

US Ambassador to China Max Baucus hosted the reception at his residence in Beijing to celebrate the new partnerships.Baucus applauded the partnerships as an investment in the future.

"The strategic partnership between the 100,000 Strong Foundation and AmCham China will reap significant benefits for American companies, American workers and the future of US-China relations," he said.

AmCham China Chairman James Zimmerman said it showcased "the critical importance of people-to-people exchange as well as the strategic significance of continuing to promote engagement and awareness of China in American youth through education".

AmCham China is a non-profit organization of US companies and individuals doing business in China. Its membership comprises more than 3,800 individuals from more than 1,000 companies with more than 50 industry- and issue-specific forums and committees.

An offshoot of the US State Department's 100,000 Strong Initiative, the 100K Strong Foundationsucceeded in realizing President Barack Obama's 2009 call for 100,000 Americans to study in China over a period of four years.