In a move warming hearts across continents, Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to a handwritten letter from students and teachers at a Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur international school in France. The correspondence, sent from sun-drenched southern France, came from a Chinese language class eager to share their cultural journey.
📜 "Language is the bridge that connects our peoples," President Xi wrote, applauding their efforts to master Mandarin. He emphasized that youth exchanges are key to strengthening China-France ties, especially as 2026 marks new collaborative projects in education and tech between the two nations.
The school’s program – which mixes calligraphy workshops with AI-assisted language apps – has become a TikTok sensation this year, with #MandarinInProvence trending among Gen Z learners. One student’s viral video reply to Xi’s letter joked: "Next challenge: mastering Sichuan pepper recipes!🌶️"
This pen-pal diplomacy comes as France reports a 40% surge in Chinese language enrollments since 2023, driven by K-pop collaborations and eco-tech partnerships. As one teacher told us: "When students saw President Xi quote Victor Hugo in his letter, they realized culture isn’t just in textbooks – it’s alive." 🎭
