Children in Chinese traditional costumes prepare for the Chinese recital competition in Dallas, the United States, on Dec 14, 2019. (Photo by Dan Tian/Xinhua)

He added that they can learn more about Chinese history and culture by learning the Chinese language, which is used by more than 1 billion people around the world.

Xi said he is pleased to see those students write and learn Chinese so well, and hopes that they will continue to work hard, make greater progress and become young ambassadors for the friendship between the two peoples.

Established in 1967, the public school is one of the first schools in Utah to offer a Chinese immersion program, which involves more than half of its students. Utah has one-fifth of all Chinese language learners in the United States. The state's Chinese immersion program began in 2009 and is now available in 76 elementary and secondary schools.