The story of blue jersey

Among a collection of sports-related gifts Xi Jinping has received during his foreign trips is a blue jersey – a winter sports gift presented by athletes from Finland during his state visit to the country in April 2017.

Xi was gifted the jersey when meeting with athlete representatives from China and Finland who had participated in the just-concluded World Figure Skating Championships.

Looking at the jersey featuring the names of the athletes, Xi said, "These names may include many who will become world champions in the future."

During the visit, the year 2019 was agreed to be the China-Finland Year of Winter Sports. For Xi, an avid sports fan, sports are not just his personal love but also a way to build a strong nation, and a genuine approach to promoting people-to-people bonds globally.