Tanner, who himself is a fluent Mandarin speaker, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Saturday that the 1-Million-Strong Initiative also includes expanding the number of Americans studying abroad in China.

"We envision a future where the next generation of American leaders is very China savvy and can manage the bilateral relationship in a very constructive way," said Tanner.

The 100,000-Strong Initiative, mainly for universities, was launched by President Obama in 2009 with an aim to increase to 100,000 the cumulative number of Americans studying in China over a five-year period. The goal was achieved in 2014.

Tanner, who also oversaw the 100,000-Strong Initiative, said that Americans who had been exchange students in China always describe experiences in China as "life-transforming."

"Perspectives are changed, viewpoints are opened, new friendships are developed, these are all very positive developments that will help ensure that the future generation of Americans can understand China as well as the importance of US-China relationship," he said.