Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 seeks to promote educational and cultural exchange between the US and other countries in a bid to enhance mutual understanding of the US citizens and the people of other countries. The US State Department has recently ended 5 cultural exchange programmes with China under this Act. These programmes include the Policymakers Educational China Trip Program, the US-China Friendship Programme, the US-China Leadership Exchange Program, the US-China Transpacific Exchange Program and the Hong Kong Educational and Cultural Programme.