Every day of the year, almost without exception, Yang Na is on the road: visiting villagers, checking farmland and solving problems in the countryside.

As deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) general branch of Duizhuangshi Village in Anshan, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Yang chose to return home after graduating from university, giving up job opportunities in big cities. She helped build a new development path combining industry, tourism and local culture.

"By staying close to my hometown, I can touch the truest side of rural China. Every step feels solid," she said.

Yang is also one of the winners of the 2026 Chinese Youth May Fourth Medal and New Era Youth Pioneer Award.

Recently, 16 young representatives who received these awards since the 18th National Congress of the CPC wrote to President Xi Jinping, sharing their experiences of serving at the grassroots level.

In his reply ahead of China's Youth Day, which falls on Monday this year, Xi extended festive greetings to young people across the country.

He noted that 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), calling it a key moment for young people to make achievements. He urged them to stay rooted in their posts, work hard and align personal goals with national development.

Xi has always placed young people close to his heart. Whether through personal letters, face-to-face conversations or participation in youth activities, he has consistently shown deep care for their growth, dreams and aspirations.

Bringing youthful strength to Chinese modernization

At the primary school of Sheyit Village in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, young volunteers from across the country are helping children see a bigger world.

Located just 47 kilometers from the border, the school became the first pilot school in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture for full volunteer teaching support under the "Go West" program in 2022.

These young volunteers' efforts have brought visible changes. The school's excellence rate rose from zero to 50%, while the pass rate reached 96%. Last autumn, the school ranked second in teaching quality across the city.

In 2025, this volunteer team, with an average age of just 24, won the Chinese Youth May Fourth Medal for collectives.

Before last year's Youth Day, Xi replied to the volunteers, encouraging the youth to go where the country needs them most.

He urged them to strengthen ideals and convictions, cultivate patriotism, improve their capabilities and contribute to Chinese modernization.

After receiving Xi's letter, nine volunteers chose to extend their service. In September 2025, 16 new volunteers joined them. The number of volunteers in Kizilsu Kirgiz also increased from 1,485 in the 2024-2025 period to 2,005 in the 2025-2026 period.

Reading Xi's latest message to the country's young people, Yan Zefeng, one of the volunteers working at Sheyit Primary School, said he will continue to follow Xi's expectations and integrate his personal aspirations into the bigger picture of national development.

Extending China's invitation to the world's youth

Xi's concern is not only for Chinese youth, but also for young people around the world.

Through speeches, reply letters and congratulatory messages, he has repeatedly invited foreign youth to visit China, understand the country better and build friendships across cultures.

Last month, Xi sent a congratulatory letter to the event commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy, expressing hope that young people from both countries would strengthen friendship through exchanges and contribute to stable bilateral ties.

Last October, Andra, a student from Diamond Minds Transformational Leadership Academy in Miami, Florida, joined a 20-member US youth education exchange delegation to visit Nanjing and Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province.

During the trip, she visited local schools, took part in classroom discussions with Chinese students, explored science and innovation workshops, and toured universities and new energy companies, gaining a first-hand look at China's technological development.

"What I saw in China gave me a completely new understanding of the country's development, especially its achievements in innovation," she said.

After returning to the United States, the delegation wrote to President Xi, reflecting on their visit and expressing appreciation for the opportunity to engage directly with China.

In his reply, Xi said such exchanges help open "a window" for young people to see a real and multidimensional China, and build "a bridge" for lasting friendship between the two peoples.

He also reiterated that "the hope of China-US relations lies in the people, and its future relies on the youth."

"President Xi's reply gave me great encouragement," Andra said. "It inspires me to keep learning with a global vision and work to build bridges of friendship between the US and China.