Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang recently replied to letters from students of Hua Xia Chinese School in the U.S. city of Houston. Here's the full text: 

Students of Hua Xia Chinese School

Houston

The United States

Dear students,

How nice to receive your warm letters! They brought me back to last summer when we celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival together, making Zongzi and talking about dreams. Your innocent and bright smiles, the synchronized Chinese recitation, and the Zongzi in different shapes that you made with your little hands are memories I will always cherish.

The Chinese language is a golden key to understanding China. Your handwriting in the letters is very neat, with nice and careful strokes. This fully shows the good results you have achieved in learning Chinese. I hope you will keep it up and go for greater progress.

The Chinese often say, "read 10,000 books and travel 10,000 miles." To learn Chinese and understand China better, the best way is to visit China. I welcome you to travel and study in China.

Young people are full of hope and represent the future. The baton of growing China-U.S. relations will soon be passed to your hands. I hope you will grow up strong and healthy, and become envoys of friendship between the two great countries of China and the U.S.

Thank you for inviting me to the ceremony of the 30th anniversary of the Houston Hua Xia Chinese School. I look forward to the opportunity to see you again. I wish every success of the ceremony, and hope you will keep up the hard work and make progress every day.

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