Stories of China's major-country diplomacy: We sing 'Ode to the Motherland' for Grandpa Xi

"The five-starred red flag flutters in the wind, and the victory song echoes loudly. Let's sing for our beloved motherland, as it embarks on the path to prosperity and strength..." Every time I sing the Chinese song "Ode to the Motherland," I think of that thrilling day.

I was among the dozen Kazakhstani children who greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival at the Astana airport in Kazakhstan on July 2 this year.

Kanatov Amirkhan Yerlanovich takes part in the 3rd Chinese Bridge-Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

We arrived early at the lobby of the airport's VIP terminal, and began singing "Ode to the Motherland" in Chinese as soon as Grandpa Xi entered the lobby.

Hearing the song, Grandpa Xi stopped in front of us and smiled as he listened.

We were so nervous at the beginning that we started the first note too high. But we gradually got back on track. After we finished the song, Grandpa Xi applauded our performance and said we sang very well, which immediately eased our nervousness.

I was one of the two representatives who walked up to Grandpa Xi and greeted him in Chinese. "Hello, Grandpa Xi. My name is Amirkhan, and I am 10 years old. Welcome to Astana," I said.

Grandpa Xi graciously thanked us and praised our Chinese as "fluent and authentic."

I told him that I was born in Astana and I hope to study at China's Tsinghua University when I grow up. Grandpa Xi was delighted at my dream and encouraged us to aim for good universities. "You are welcome to study in China," he said.

I then spoke on behalf of all the children present, "Thank you, Grandpa Xi! We love you!"

That brief but unforgettable interaction with Grandpa Xi became a source of pride for all of us in the children's welcoming group that day.

Kazakhstani children welcome President Xi Jinping at the Astana airport on July 2, 2024. (People's Daily/Wang Zhou)

Even now, when I think back to that moment at the airport, I still feel excited. Grandpa Xi is a leader of a big country, and I have had the honor of singing for him and speaking with him — what an incredible thing to be proud of!

In fact, my connection with China and Grandpa Xi goes far beyond that encounter.

I was born in Astana on Sept. 22, 2013. Just half a month before I was born, Grandpa Xi delivered an important speech in Astana titled "Promote People-to-People Friendship and Create a Better Future."

In the speech, he proposed for the first time the idea of jointly building a Silk Road economic belt. Kazakhstan, therefore, became the place where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was initiated.

When I was 6 years old, my mother began to arrange for me to learn foreign languages, including English, Spanish, and Chinese. I've taken pleasure in learning Chinese since then, and the three hours I spent each week learning the language were some of the happiest times for me.

In October of last year, I represented participants from the Kazakhstan division in the 3rd Chinese Bridge-Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

It was my first trip to China. I remember I started counting down to the trip six months in advance, and the night before my flight, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep.

Photo shows China-aided Shelek Wind Farm in Kazakhstan. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

In Kunming, I met friends from around the world and tasted Chinese food that I had previously only seen in books and on TV.

I am often asked by adults, "Amirkhan, what do you want to do when you grow up?" I always tell them that I remember Grandpa Xi's words of encouragement, and I want to go to China to study at Tsinghua University.

I want to master Chinese, learn more advanced scientific knowledge, and then return to Kazakhstan to contribute to the well-being of the people in my mother country. I also want to help promote the friendship between Kazakhstan and China.

I believe the world of the future will be one free from war, hunger, poverty, and injustice — a beautiful world where humans live in unity, helping and loving one another, just like what Grandpa Xi said about the community with a shared future for mankind. We must work together for this beautiful world.

(Kanatov Amirkhan Yerlanovich is a student from the Confucius Institute at the L.N. Gumilev Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan. The article is compiled by People's Daily reporter Zhao Yipu based on an interview with him.)