Three young pupils from Hong Kong had a special meeting with the Special Administrative Region's Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Monday at her official residence, the Hong Kong Government House.

Clad in green and white Yau Yat Chuen School uniforms, the three pupils, between 5 and 6 years old, stood attentively as Lam them a letter written by Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping.

In the letter, Peng thanked the pupils for sending her a letter wishing her happiness and good health and a painting in which she stood with two pupils and a background of heart-shaped flowers. "Your drawings and writing are really good. I like them very much," Peng wrote.

Peng visited the school in June last year when she joined Xi on a three-day inspection visit to Hong Kong that marked the 20th anniversary of the SAR's return to China.

During her visit, Peng gave pupils coloring pens and provided six multimedia teaching sets to the kindergarten. She received a Chinese paper fan, decorated with pandas hand-painted by the pupils.

Peng said she would always cherish the fan and that the pupils' smiling faces were precious memories to her.

She hoped the pupils would grow up healthily and encouraged them to contribute to a bright future for Hong Kong in the letter.

Cheryl Ho Sze-hang, who wrote the letter to Peng, said she felt very happy that Peng liked the letter. Calling the first lady "Auntie Peng", Ho said she wrote the letter because she missed Peng, who was kind to pupils.

Six-year-old Shum Tsz-yau, who drew the picture, described Peng as beautiful and affectionate. She wished Peng would come to Hong Kong again.

After forwarding Peng's letter to the pupils, Lam said it fully demonstrated Peng's love and care for the pupils. On behalf of the people of Hong Kong, she extended her gratitude to Peng.

Lee Ming-chu, principal of the school, said she was touched by the letter, especially since Peng engages in many public works.

She extended her gratitude for Peng's support for kindergarten education, adding that she and her colleagues were encouraged by the letter.

Qiu Hong, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, joined the meeting on behalf of Wang Zhimin, the liaison office director.