GRAND RAPIDS, the United States - Education is one of the main pillars in the China-US ties and the two countries should continue to encourage students to study in each other's country, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said on Friday.

It's encouraging to see that there is a growing number of Chinese and American students studying in each other's country, the ambassador said when addressing a public event held by a non-profit organization in the Midwestern state of Michigan.

Hopefully things will continue to be like that, said Cui at the luncheon held by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, which aims to provide forums for conversation on international topics.

Former US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, who also participated in the event, echoed Cui's view.

"It's terribly important that we continue to have Chinese students," Burns said.

Burns rebuked certain "calls" in Washington to prevent Chinese students from studying some subjects for "national security" reasons, calling that a "dangerous" move.

That's "very dangerous" when you begin to say who can study in your country and who can't, the former senior US diplomat said.

"We do live in a global society, and we have to work together" to tackle problems, Burns added.

More than 400 guests attended Friday's event.

Statistics show that more than 1 million international students came to the United States to study in 2017, and that Chinese students accounted for roughly 30 percent.