Xi's close connection with young people

Chinese President Xi Jinping once said every year around May 4, he would reserve time for young people. Over the years, he has managed to find time to connect with young people despite his busy work schedule.

On May 4 each year, China celebrates its Youth Day in tribute to the patriotic legacy of the May Fourth Movement that took place in 1919.

Xi has always encouraged the current young generation to chase their dreams through hard work and set a fine example for them.

Since 1969, Xi, not even 16 at that time, was sent from Beijing to Liangjiahe, a small village in Yanchuan County in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on the Loess Plateau, to engage in arduous farm labor. He spent seven years there and did all the farm work.

Xi, then Party secretary of Liangjiahe Village, led villagers to build the first methane-generating pit in Shaanxi, which caused a sensation across the whole county, according to a news report titled "The Story of Igniting Fire" by "Yan'an Tongxun" on Sept 20, 1975.

"My family has a revolutionary tradition. [They always said] children should not be raised in the greenhouse, but should experience strong winds and heavy waves," Xi said when talking about his family tradition.

Looking back at his youth, Xi once said "My primary requirement for myself is to 'put myself into hardship'."

Addressing a gathering marking the centenary of the May Fourth Movement in Beijing on April 30, 2019, Xi said "Youth is one's prime time to develop skills and grow abilities. If one makes his/her youth slip by without achieving anything, and only lament in old age, what's the point?"

The Chinese president deeply understands the aspirations of young people. He often gets close to them, offering encouragement through his own experiences.

In July 1984, Xi, then Party chief of Zhengding County of north China's Hebei Province, chatted with students from Beijing-based Renmin University of China who were on a field research activity in the county.

Xi shared his experience and encouraged them to gain first-hand experience by working at the grassroots level after graduation.

On May 3, 2023, Xi wrote a reply letter to students from China Agricultural University, encouraging the students to make greater contributions to rural revitalization.

"You said only by walking deep into rural China could one understand what it means to seek truth from facts, and maintain close ties with the people. The young people should actively seek hardship. You're absolutely right," Xi said, hailing that "This is the spirit that Chinese youth in the new era should have."

Also at the gathering marking the centenary of the May Fourth Movement, Xi said "It is a relay race to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We are determined to run for a good score for our young people. We also look forward to a better score achieved by the younger generation."

In his visit to Peking University in May 2014, Xi told the students to "button right" in the early days of their life.

"The value orientation of youth will decide the values of the whole society. It is very important to foster proper values ​​in that age. It is like buttoning up one's jacket. The buttons of life should be fastened well from the very beginning," he said.

In military barracks, the Chinese president encouraged young officers and soldiers to seize the opportunity and strive forward.

During his visit to the Wukesong Sports Center in Beijing in February 2017, Xi urged young athletes to train hard for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

"China should become a powerful country in every aspect. China will be strong if our young generation is strong, and China will be strong if our sports competitiveness is strong. The hope is on all of you," Xi said.

In his visit to RICOM, an optical lens company in the eastern Chinese city of Fuzhou in March 2021, Xi encouraged young scientific and technical workers to make contributions to the country.

"We call for innovation regardless of personal background. What's most important is to make contribution to the country," Xi said.

He also urged young officials to stay true to their mission and support the aspirations of young people in rural revitalization efforts.

"We should appreciate and applaud the innovation and creativity of young people. We should support them, help them shine brilliantly in their life, and cheer for the achievements and successes they've accomplished," Xi said at the gathering marking the centenary of the May Fourth Movement in 2019.

Xi's close connection with young people

The Russian auto market has undergone a major shift in recent years,with Chinese brands surging in popularity and now capturing over half of new car sales in Russia.

Following Russia's conflict with Ukraine, major companies from Germany, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan ceased official sales, supplies, and services in the country, leading to a significant increase in prices for their cars and spare parts.

This void has been filled by Chinese car brands, whose market share in Russia surged to over 60 percent in 2023, nearly doubling from the previous year. In contrast, China held just a 9 percent market share in February 2022.

Ekaterina, an owner of a Chinese car who switched from a European brand, cited the complications in servicing her old car after Western car brands exited the Russian market. She highlighted the stability of Chinese car prices as a key factor behind her decision.

"A year ago, many people had concerns about whether to switch to a Chinese-made car and some of my friends decided to do so. People looked at the car, listened to the pitch, and made the choice naturally because the price is stable," she said.

Sergey Tselikov, director of the analytical agency Avtostat, predicts further growth in 2024, as Chinese companies have already exported record volumes of cars to Russia.

"First, almost all other brands have stopped supplying to Russia. Automakers in South Korea, Japan, Europe and the U.S. have halted supplies amid fears of sanctions," said Tselikov.

Tselikov also pointed to the significant quality improvements in Chinese car manufacturing over the past five to seven years as another reason for their popularity in Russia.

The share of dealerships selling Chinese cars in Russia witnessed a remarkable increase, rising from 31 percent to 65 percent in 2023, while the number of models and modifications continues to expand. Chinese automakers have even re-purposed some factories previously used by Western car manufacturers.

Russia is also encouraging localization efforts, hoping to revive its own car manufacturing industry.

"The [Russian] Ministry of Industry and Trade and the government are stimulating and trying to ensure that the cars are not only imported but assembled in Russia and then hopefully localized. In Russia, this is a problematic endeavor because it is very difficult to produce cheaper components in Russia than those produced in China," said Tselikov.

Russian companies are seeking collaboration with Chinese firms to domestically assemble Chinese cars. Moskvich, a long-established Soviet-era car company, has started assembling Chinese cars under its own brand.

Chinese cars reshape Russia's auto industry as Western brands scale back