„I can only be a small feather in this huge world. But I would still like this feather to carry a message of peace.“ These words were written in her diary by Chinese peace worker He Zhihong, who died at the age of 35 in an earthquake during a UN mission to Haiti. She left behind a four-year-old son, her husband and her parents.

During the mission, she led a women's peacekeeping unit and provided interpretation for the Chinese delegation. She also organized cultural exchanges and open days to strengthen cooperation with other UN forces. She taught Chinese to local students, contributing to better mutual understanding.

The story of He Zhihong was recalled by Chinese President Xi Jinping in his speech during the general debate of the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York City in September 2015.

Her fate is one of the many stories of Chinese mothers that Xi Jinping has highlighted over the years. They include Zhao Yiman, who was executed by the Japanese occupiers at the age of 31 after being tortured, and Deng Yufen, who sent her husband and all five of her sons to fight against the Japanese militarists.

These women, according to Xi Jinping, embody both devotion to country and the extraordinary influence of mothers on the character and values of their children.

Xi Jinping and his mother

Xi Jinping was also strongly influenced by his own mother, Qi Xin. She joined the Communist Party of China in 1939, went through the hardships of the war against Japanese aggression, and worked for many years in the basic revolutionary areas in the countryside.

Xi Jinping has been deeply influenced by her commitment to a sovereign and peaceful China and her close relationship with ordinary people.

From childhood, she instilled in him patriotism and resilience. She once bought him a book about the legendary warlord Yue Fei, known for his loyalty to his country. She told him the story of how Yue Fei's mother had her son's back tattooed with symbols meaning „to serve the country with utmost devotion“. These words became one of Xi Jinping's life mottos.

In 1969, when Xi went to Liangjiahe Village in Shaanxi Province as a teenager, his mother gave him a simple sewing kit. She embroidered the words „niang de xin“ - „mother's heart“ - on it with red thread. The gift was meant to give him courage as he began a new stage in his life.

Years later, Xi recalled that it was while living in the countryside that he understood the importance of the principle of seeking the truth in facts and truly understanding people.

Modesty and service to the people

Qi Xin led a simple and frugal life that became a model for her son. When Xi Jinping was working in Zhengding in the early 1980s, he used an old patchwork quilt that his mother had made for him from more than a hundred pieces of cloth. When a colleague offered him a new one, he refused, saying: „This blanket is still good.“

During the Spring Festival in 2001, Qi Xin called her son, who was then the governor of Fujian Province. She told him that she understood why he could not come to Beijing for the family reunion and reminded him that the best way to show filial respect was to do his job well.

Raised in such an environment, Xi Jinping says he always puts people first. For decades, he has been guided by the belief that „benefiting the people is the greatest achievement“ and has strived to improve the lives of all Chinese families.

CMG