Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on April 22, 2019

　　问：据报道，美国伊利诺伊州北奈尔斯高中学生近期用中文给习近平主席写了一封信，习主席给他们回了信。请问习主席为什么给他们回信？回信具有怎样的意义？

　　答：大家应该从新闻中已经看到了，习近平主席近日复信美国伊利诺伊州北奈尔斯高中学生，勉励他们为增进中美人民的友谊作出贡献。

Q: According to reports, students of Niles North High School in the US State of Illinois recently wrote a letter in Chinese to President Xi Jinping, and President Xi replied to them. Can you tell me why he wrote back and what's the significance of his letter?

A: You may have learned from the news that President Xi Jinping recently wrote back to the students of Niles North High School in Illinois and encouraged them to contribute to the friendship between the Chinese and American people.

　　据我所知，习近平主席给外国学生回信已经不是第一次了，这充分说明习主席对中外人文领域交流合作的高度重视。此次，习主席收到了美国伊利诺伊州北奈尔斯高中中文班40多名学生用中文写的信，信中问到了很多有意思的问题。习主席在复信中回答了有关他工作、生活情况和个人爱好等方面的问题，鼓励学生们在中文学习上取得更大进步，为增进中美人民友谊作出贡献，并欢迎他们有机会来中国看看。

As far as I know, this is not the first time that President Xi Jinping wrote back to foreign students, which tells us how much President Xi values people-to-people exchange and cooperation between China and other countries. This time, the letter President Xi received was written in Chinese by over 40 students from a Chinese class of Niles North High School in Illinois. They raised many interesting questions in the letter. In his reply letter, President Xi answered those questions about his work, life, and hobbies, encouraged them to make new progress in learning Chinese and contribute to the friendship between the Chinese and American people, and welcomed them to China for a visit.

　　据我了解，写这封信的美国高中生绝大部分没有来过中国，以前也没有接触过中文。经过一个学期的中文学习后，他们对中文产生了浓厚兴趣，决定用中文给习主席写信，致以美国高中生的诚挚问候。我们对美国青年一代对中国语言文化的浓厚兴趣和对中国的朴素友好感情感到高兴。

　　正如习主席在复信中所说，青年一代是中美友好的未来。希望中美双方共同努力，深化两国青年、教育等广泛人文领域的交流合作，增进两国人民对彼此的理解和认知，巩固中美关系发展的民意和社会基础。

I learned that most of the students who wrote the letter have never been to China or had learned any Chinese before starting the class. After just one semester, they became very interested and decided to write a letter in Chinese to President Xi to extend the heartfelt greetings of American high school students. We are pleased to see in the young generation of the US such a strong interest in the Chinese language and culture and such pure friendliness towards China.

Just as President Xi wrote in the letter, the youth represent the future of China-US friendship. We hope our two countries can join efforts to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchange and cooperation in youth, education and other fields, enhance the mutual understanding between our two peoples and strengthen the public support for China-US relations.