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Xi (L, 1st row) works as a local Party official in Zhengding county, Hebei province, from 1982 to 1985. [file photo]

Xi said Jia was a window to public opinion and also a political adviser, as Jia often shared "unique, insightful analyses and reasonable advice on social issues that people had strong reactions to", Xi wrote.

Xi, then a rising political figure, was promoted in 1985 to deputy mayor of Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian province, and the two friends "shed tears of emotion" during their last, long meeting before Xi's departure.

The pair maintained their friendship in the following years with letters and phone calls. Xi visited Jia several times after Jia fell ill in 1995 and up until his death, the essay said.

He Xiangjiu, a renowned writer and expert in ancient cultural studies from Hebei province, remembers Jia as a down-to-earth person and a master of short stories.

"Jia's works are mainly about rural life, written with solid structure and skills. The characters he created are people who fight tough battles against fate, and they're vivid with blood and flesh, which might be a reason they drew President Xi's interest," He said.

Gao Fei, a 25-year-old graduate student from Tianjin, said she was moved after reading Xi's memorial essay.

"I think it is not easy for a man and a political leader to express his feelings," she said. "Their friendship was touching, and I am sure that President Xi will be firm in taking the path of serving his people and nation."

Cheng Manli, a media professor at Peking University, said the Chinese public welcomes Xi's common-touch leadership style.

"Dining at a steamed bun restaurant and his giving a public speech in his office ahead of the new year — such warm and people-first moves win a lot of positive feedback from the public," she said.

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