Pen pals

Even when Xi is not visiting children in-person, they are dear to his heart. This is often revealed in his reply letters, some of which have crossed seas and mountains to reach children from foreign countries.

In April, Xi replied to a letter from fourth-grade students at Britain's Francis Holland School on the issue of climate change.

In the reply, Xi encouraged the British pupils to communicate with their Chinese peers, allow the concept of green development to take root in their hearts and grow up to become active builders of a beautiful home for mankind.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year in 2020, 50 fourth-grade students from Cascade Elementary School in the state of Utah wrote New Year's cards to Xi in Chinese.

In his reply letter dated Feb 15, 2020, Xi said he is pleased to see the students write and learn Chinese so well, and expressed hopes they will continue to work hard, make greater progress and become young ambassadors for friendship between the two peoples.

Xi also encouraged them to learn more about Chinese culture by studying the language, which is used by more than 1 billion people around the world.

In a reply letter to Nongping Primary School in Laos dated April 29, 2019, he wished the children an early trip to Beijing via the China-Laos railway, which was under construction at the time and started operations Dec 3, 2021, as the students said they hoped to do in their letter.

Xi said he hopes they will study hard to make great contributions to Laos' national development as early as possible and become successors in promoting the bilateral friendship.