President Xi Jinping has called on students from a high school in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to develop a deep love for the motherland and its people, hone their abilities and become talents capable of shouldering important responsibilities from an early age.

In his reply to a letter from students at Pui Kiu Middle School, Xi underlined patriotism as the core of the Chinese national spirit, saying that the noble tradition of loving both the motherland and Hong Kong long upheld by the Hong Kong people is a crucial cornerstone for the stable and enduring implementation of "one country, two systems".

In his letter dated July 24, the president said he was pleased to learn that the students had developed a stronger sense of pride in being Chinese and a sense of responsibility as the SAR's young generation after participating in activities such as interacting with astronauts who are aboard China's Tiangong space station.

"I hope that you can integrate the pursuit of knowledge with exploration of the world, gain a profound understanding of global developments and delve into the history, culture and realities of the motherland," Xi wrote in the letter.

He encouraged the children to contribute their strength to building an even better Hong Kong and the cause of national rejuvenation.

Founded in 1946, Pui Kiu Middle School was one of the first Hong Kong schools to raise the national flag after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The school has nurtured generations of people who love both the motherland and Hong Kong.

The students from the school recently wrote to the president to share their takeaways from events aimed at strengthening patriotism. In the letter, they also shared their resolve to carry forward the spirit of loving the nation and Hong Kong and contribute to national development and the SAR's prosperity.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the SAR appreciates the reply letter from Xi, adding that the president's earnest expectations for youths in Hong Kong to fulfill their mission and responsibilities as the younger generation in the city were palpable in the letter.

While the letter conveyed care and encouragement to the school, it also served as an impetus for all schools in Hong Kong to organize various activities outside the classrooms, guiding the youths to deepen their understanding of the nation's history, culture and realities, Lee said.

The letter will also inspire schools in the SAR to strengthen their students' sense of national pride, national identity and patriotism, turning these values into action and passing on the spirit of loving the country and Hong Kong to future generations, he added.

Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, chancellor of Pui Kiu Middle School, expressed appreciation to the president on behalf of the school at a meeting at the school on Tuesday, saying that the reply from Xi was "a milestone in the education on patriotism in Hong Kong".

Xi's letter was profoundly touching for the school's faculty and students, and the school will continue to lead the way for the students in learning traditional Chinese culture and building up their emotional bonds with the motherland, he said.

Jeff Sze Chun-fai, the SAR's under-secretary for education, said the SAR authorities will use concrete actions to respond to Xi's earnest expectations and keep enriching the national education system.

Fong Yiu-lam, vice-chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Association, said the letter not only extends support and encouragement to the younger generation in Hong Kong but also reaffirms the commitment to "one country, two systems".