Xi replies to letter from British pupils on climate change

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 19, 2020 shows wind turbines at the Jiucaiping scenic area in southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently replied to a letter from primary school students at Britain's Francis Holland School on the issue of climate change.

In his letter, Xi pointed out that the Earth is a big family, and the human race belongs to one community, saying that as climate change poses a common challenge to all humanity, mankind should cooperate to tackle the issue.

He stressed that the Chinese nation has respected and loved nature since ancient times.

Noting that he attaches great importance to tackling climate change, Xi said he has always highlighted that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" -- a notion that has won broad support in today's China.

China has called on the whole society to protect nature and preserve the environment like people protecting their own eyes, and actively push forward green development to build a beautiful China, Xi said.

Aerial photo taken on July 22, 2021 shows a villager walking past a solar powered street lamp in Maobishan Village of Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua)

He also said that China has been taking unprecedented actions to tackle climate change, and has made remarkable progress, adding that the country will go on making even greater achievements.

Schools of various kinds and at all levels in China attach great importance to the education on ecological civilization, he said, adding that Chinese pupils, by starting from the trivial things in their lives, have developed a good habit of conserving energy and protecting the environment, and learned to live a green and low-carbon life.

In the letter, the Chinese president said the British pupils are welcomed to visit China, and do a tour of the world's largest wind power plant and solar power station, as well as the widest man-made forest and picturesque national parks.

Children take part in a tree-planting event at the wasted Donghouziyu quarry in Jizhou District, north China's Tianjin, March 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

He also 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 the beautiful home for mankind.

Located in London, Francis Holland School is an international school for girls. It actively conducts foreign exchanges and encourages students to pay attention to the issue of environmental protection and climate change.

Recently, the fourth graders at the school wrote Xi a letter to show their interest in the issue of climate change. ■