As the Chinese economy continues to boom and China continues to assert itself as a major player in today's global economy, a pair of United States senators have introduced legislation that would encourage U.S. students to get to know their Chinese counterparts by trading stories, discussing cultural differences, and learning each other's languages through online and face-to-face exchanges.

Regardless of whether the bill becomes law, at least one U.S. company already is moving forward with a service that will foster online cultural exchanges between students of the two nations.

Called the United States-China Cultural Engagement Act of 2005, the bipartisan bill, introduced by Sens. Joseph Liberman, D-Conn., and Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., authorizes $1.3 billion over five years to bridge the cultural divide that exists between two powerful, but vastly different, nations.

Among its many goals, the bill aims to boost Chinese language instruction in American schools, support American commercial activity in China, and provide for physical and virtual exchanges between citizens in both countries.

"Providing our children with the opportunity to understand the Chinese language and culture will help ensure they have a better chance of succeeding in the global economy," Lieberman said in a July press release about the bill.

For months now, some of the nation's leading business leaders and politicians have been talking about the inevitable rise of China--and its impact on the U.S. economy. Looking to the future, several captains of industry, including Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, have questioned whether America's high schools, given their steadily declining graduation rates, are doing what is necessary to prepare students for success in the new century.

U.S. corporations look for cheaper help overseas, and traditionally lesser-developed countries such as China and India continue to rise to the challenge. These nations now graduate highly skilled engineers and other technical workers at rates several times what U.S. colleges and universities produce. As a result, critics contend that widespread reforms are needed to keep America's youth competitive.

"There will be challenges in the United States' relationship with China as it grows and we seek to maintain our position in the world and our standard of living," said Alexander. "But it's my hope that the United States will spend some of our time and money getting to know China better, and that Chinese citizens will spend time getting to know us."

Reaching out--virtually

Relationship-building between the two nations is already under way at San Diego's Patrick Henry High School. As part of a program to bolster student appreciation for foreign cultures, Candace Pauchnick, a human psychology and sociology teacher, uses an internet chat and eMail program called ePALS to connect her students with a group of college students studying in China.