BEIJING, May 15 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to a letter from Central Asian students at China University of Petroleum, encouraging them to make greater contributions to the promotion of ties between China and Central Asian countries.

In his reply, Xi said that China and Central Asian countries are linked by mountains and rivers, and that they have profound friendships and a shared future. "In 2013, I put forward the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt in Central Asia," Xi said.

He noted that over the past decade, China-Central Asia relations have been brought to a new level, and cooperation in various fields has moved onto the fast track, delivering benefits to the peoples.

Friendly relations between China and Central Asian countries need to be carried forward from generation to generation by ambitious and promising young people, Xi said.

Xi said the students have witnessed and benefited from China-Central Asia relations and, more importantly, that they have helped boost China-Central Asia relations. He urged them to take an active part in promoting friendships between China and Central Asian countries, carry forward the Silk Road spirit, tell Chinese stories and Central Asian stories well, act as envoys of friendship and bridges of cooperation, and contribute to building an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

Recently, students from Central Asian countries at China University of Petroleum wrote a letter to Xi, telling about their studies and lives in China and expressing their determination to study hard, strengthen cooperation and contribute to building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future.