Soon after Premier Wen Jiabao visited quake-hit areas of Japan in May, 11-year-old Kayo Fukushima decided she wanted to personally thank him, so she wrote him a letter, not only thanking him for his concern, but telling him that she's fond of pandas, wants to learn to speak Chinese, and hopes to study at Peking University someday.

Wen responded to her letter in June, inviting her and other children to visit China.

And on Monday, Kayo and 99 other schoolchildren from Japan's earthquake-stricken areas arrived in China as guests of the premier to begin a week-long vacation at the resort island of Hainan.

"I'm delighted to be here and excited about all the activities," Kayo said at a ceremony marking the start of their vacation held in Haikou, capital of Hainan Province.

Kayo, a sixth-grader at the Koriyama City Elementary School Kon Tooru, Fukushima Prefecture, said after the March 11 quake hit her hometown, Wen not only offered sympathy, but a personal invitation for her and other schoolchildren to visit China.

"We're very grateful," she said.

The children aged 7-14 are from 23 schools in the disaster-hit prefectures of Fukushima, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Ibaraki.

"This is awesome -- both the activities and services are great," Kayo said. "I'm looking forward to spending a wonderful time here."

Their trip will include visits to several cities in Hainan and a series of activities, such as experiencing local ethnic culture.

"I hope to learn about local scenic spots and customs, taste the delicious food, and make friends with Chinese students," Kayo said.

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