President Xi Jinping has encouraged a group of elementary school students in the United States to continue learning the Chinese language and culture and contribute to promoting friendship between the two peoples.

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

In his reply letter dated Feb 15, Xi wrote that China is a big country like the US, and Chinese civilization has a history of more than 5,000 years. He added that the Chinese people are as hospitable as the US people.

Xi noted that they can learn more about Chinese history and culture by learning the Chinese language, which is used by more than 1 billion people around the world.

He said he is pleased to see the students write and learn Chinese so well, and hopes that they will continue to work hard, make greater progress and become young ambassadors for friendship between the two peoples.

The school is one of the first in Utah to offer a Chinese immersion program, which involves more than half of its students. Utah has one-fifth of all Chinese language learners in the US.

Xi also replied to a letter on the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak from Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

China is resolute in protecting the life and health of the people of China, and the peoples of all other countries around the world, and is determined to contribute to global public health security, Xi said in the letter dated Feb 20.

Xi also said that he appreciates the generosity of the foundation and Gates' letter of solidarity to the Chinese people at such an important moment.

Gates said in his letter of Feb 6 that his foundation has committed up to $100 million in emergency funding, much of which will help China bolster epidemiological research, emergency intervention, and the research and development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics.

Since the outbreak began, China has rallied the whole nation and adopted a string of unprecedented measures to contain and mitigate the epidemic and treat the sick, Xi wrote, adding that these measures are delivering substantial results.

Noting that mankind is a community with a shared future, Xi wrote that to prevail over a disease that threatens all, unity and cooperation are the most powerful weapons.

Xi said that he supports the foundation's cooperation with relevant Chinese institutions, and looks forward to enhanced coordination and concerted efforts in the international community for the sake of the health and well-being of all.