China has a long history of communication with foreign cultural education, most particularly following the establishment of new China and the opening-up policy in 1980. Education-related projects, as an important aspect of exchange, have been developed rapidly. While many foreign students come to Beijing learning Chinese, history, arts, medicine, etc, the Chinese government has also sent Chinese students to study abroad. The talk between students in Beijing and Japanese youth reached unprecedented height with 3,000 Japanese youth invited by Chinese leaders visiting China in 1985. In 1999, Chinese leader Jiang Zeming pointed out that the exchange between China and Japan’s youth had to reach 15,000 within 5 years. Japan has always ranked top among countries sustaining long- term education cooperation and exchange with Beijing.
 
The Beijing municipal government also attaches great importance to the Foreign Students’ Study Tour of Beijing. It designated exclusive organization and officials to take responsibility. In 1993, Beijing established the “Beijing Reception Committee for Japanese Youth Study Tour” to guarantee smooth exchange. At the moment of the 30th anniversary of the Sino-Japan normalization of diplomatic relations, the Beijing Educational Committee carefully selected the participating schools for welcoming Japanese students.

At present, hundreds of international schools in Beijing - including high schools, vocational high schools and technical secondary schools are open to foreign students’ study tours. In these schools, the English teaching level has improved dramatically, with English teachers possessing European-studying experiences; also, students and teachers can communicate directly, through English.

These foreign students can not only enjoy cultural experiences with Beijing students inside the campus; they are also able to take part in many diverse experimental tour projects, such as a sci-tech tour of the China Science and Technology Museum, a Hutong tour and an environmental-protection tour. The meaning of the study tour is that, through traveling, students may have the chance to sense the combination of Chinese history, culture and nature; and to enhance their understanding of friendship, society, life and a sense of collective honor.

Beijing now has a tourism entertaining facility, a different language-speaking tourist guide, all of which services are at full strength and able to meet the demands from foreign students.