Bangladeshigirlnamedafter"China"exchangesletterswithPresidentXiJinping_GuangmingOnlineDHAKA,June1(Xinhua)--OntheeveofInternationalChildren'sDay,a12-year-oldBangladeshigirl,AlifaChin,receivedanextraordinarygift--areplyletterfromChinesePresidentXiJinping.Whenthegirlwasbornin2010,hermothersufferedadifficultdeliveryduetoasevereheartproblem.Atthattime,theChinesenavalhospitalshipPeaceArkjustsailedtoBangladesh,whereitprovidedfreemedicalservicestolocals.Uponlearningoftheemergency,ChinesedoctorsfromthePeaceArkhurriedtothelocalhospitaltoperformacesareansectiononhermother.Themotheranddaughterweresaved.ToexpressgratitudetotheChinesedoctors,thechild'sfather,AnwarHossen,namedhischild"Chin,"whichmeans"China"inBengali.LETTERFROMGRANDPAXIEarlierthisyear,ChinwrotealettertoPresidentXi.Intheletter,ChindescribedherspecialconnectionwithChinaandexpressedherhopeofbecomingaChina-Bangladeshfriendshipmessengerwhenshegrowsup.And,PresidentXiwroteback,sayingthatherstoryisagoodexampleofthefriendshipbetweenthetwocountries."IamsohappytoreceivethereplyletterfromGrandpaXi.It'saspecialdaytoday,"Chinsaid."Iwanttosharemystoryandhappinesswithmyfriends."Hossen,Chin'sfather,saidhewasthrilledtoreceiveXi'sletter."Chinesemilitarydoctorssavedmywifeandensuredthesafebirthofmydaughter.Forthat,wewillalwaysbegrateful."Sinceitwascommissionedin2008,thehospitalshipoftheNavyoftheChinesePeople'sLiberationArmyhasmainlycarriedoutdiseasediagnosis,treatmentandprofessionaltraining.China'sPeaceArk'smissionistospreadthenotionofpeaceacrosstheoceans.Sofar,ithassailedmorethan260,000nauticalmilesandhascompletedmultipleoverseasmissionsprovidingfreemedicalservicestomorethan250,000peoplein43countriesandregions.Theship'shospitalequipmentisonparwithsometopmedicalfacilitiesinChina.ThecrewincludessomeofChina'sleadingmedicalexpertsandprofessionalsinneurology,gastroenterology,physiotherapy,traditionalChinesemedicine,infectiousdiseases,reconstructivesurgeryandburns.CHINESEMOTHERIn2013,whenthePeaceArkarrivedinBangladeshforthesecondtime,China'smilitarydoctorsconductedacomprehensivecheck-uponChin.In2017,ShengRuifang,theanesthesiologistwhoparticipatedinthesurgeryforChin'smother,metChinduringavisittoBangladeshwithaChinesenavalformation.Atthattime,ChincalledShengher"Chinesemother"forthefirsttime."ItwastheChinesemotherwhohelpedmecomeintothisworldthen.Today,unclesandauntiesfromChinaarestillshowinglong-termconcernformygrowth,"Chinsaid."Manythankstoallofthem."Inhisletter,XiencouragedChintostudyhard,pursueherdreamandcarryforwardthetraditionalfriendshipbetweenChinaandBangladesh."Iwillusethisasmotivationtostudyhardandgrowuphealthily,"Chinbeamed."IwanttosharewithmyteachersandclassmateswhatIhavepersonallywitnessedinChina,andIwanttotellmorepeopleinBangladeshmystoryandaboutthefriendshipofChina,"saidChinwhovisitedChinain2019.AfterreadingXi'sletter,Hossensaidhewas"extremelyhappyandgrateful"thatXirememberedChin"despitehisbusyschedule."Hossensaidhewill"providegoodconditions"forChin'sgrowthandencouragehertostudyhardandevenlearnChinese.TRADITIONSOFFRIENDSHIPInhisreply,Xisaidsinceancienttimes,theChineseandtheBangladeshihavebeencloseneighborsandgoodfriends,whosefriendlyexchangesdatebackoverathousandyears.ThetwocountrieshavealsowitnessedprogressintheirtiesduringtheirjointfightagainsttheCOVID-19epidemic.AttheinvitationoftheBangladeshigovernment,theChinesegovernmentimmediatelydispatchedamedicalexpertteamtosupportBangladesh'sepidemicpreventionandcontrolefforts.ChinawasalsooneofthefirstcountriestoprovidevaccineassistancetoBangladesh.WhenCOVID-19hit,theChinesesidesupportedthecountryinprotectingthehealthofitspeople.ChineseViceForeignMinisterSunWeidong,whoattendedthehand-overceremonyofthereplyletter,saidXi'sresponsetoChin'sletterontheeveofInternationalChildren'sDayreflectshishighregardforthefriendlyrelationsbetweenChinaandBangladesh,expectationsfortheenduringfriendshipbetweenthetwocountriesandhopeforthesuccessandwell-beingofthecountry'syouth.SunsaidyoungpeoplearethekeytofosteringfriendlycooperationbetweenChinaandBangladesh,hopingthatmutualcommunicationandlearningbytheyouthofthetwocountriescanbepromoted."Together,theycancontributetheirenthusiasmandpassiontothecauseofChina-Bangladeshfriendship,"Sunsaid.ChinhasexpressedheraspirationsofstudyinginChinainthefuture."IhopeIhavethechancetogotooneChineseuniversityinthefutureandstudymedicinethere,"Chinsaid,"andbecomeadoctortohealthewoundedandrescuethedying,justasmyChinesemotherdid."■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.