Olympic spirit inspires better bilateral ties

Xi replies to letter from US mayor, saying China will hold splendid event

NEW YORK－A recent letter from President Xi Jinping has stoked the passion of a mayor in the United States for China.

"Going to China is on my bucket list," said Dick Muri, mayor of Steilacoom, a historic town on the US Northwest Coast, after receiving the letter from the Chinese leader. The letter arrived during the Lunar New Year holiday and as the 24th Olympic Winter Games kicked off in Beijing.

Steilacoom has a long tradition of friendly exchanges with China, Muri said in a recent interview.