Editor's Note: Amid China's fight against the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak, Chinese people are celebrating the Lantern Festival today to mark the beginning of spring. On this occasion, Chen Xianchun, director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hunan province, sent a thank you letter to foreign friends, praising them for their support and help during this time and also for their role in Hunan's development of culture and tourism. Chen said that Hunan welcomes overseas friends to visit the beautiful province once the epidemic is over.

Following is the full letter of Chen Xianchun:

Dear friends，

Today China is celebrating the Lantern Festival, an important day in our tradition as it marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New year celebrations, therefore I want to express my best wishes to you and your family.

Last year, the Hunan Cultural Tourism Promotion Conference that we held in various countries was very successful, and the communication about this event was very meaningful and encouraging. Establishing cooperation relationship and practical business contacts in cultural and tourism fields is significant and far-reaching for our Province. I hope we can do further, promoting cultural tourism exchanges and cooperation among our partners and friends in the future.

There's a saying In China that friendship isn't measured by the number of time you meet your friends , but once they turn to you in difficult times to help. We are very thankful that a friend like you cares and understands us so much during our fighting against the novel coronavirus epidemic. The expression of friendship is very precious and meaningful for all of us in this particular time, and strengthen our confidence and courage. It shows the true bound of friendship keeping us together to overcome difficult times, letting us feel the human warmth of our genuine relation.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, it is now the beginning of spring. I believe that the severe winter has passed, and spring is right around the next corner. Once the epidemic has disappeared, we are looking forward to meeting you in our beautiful Hunan province.

Have a nice day !

Best regards，

Chen Xianchun

Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Hunan Province, China