BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday encouraged young people to promote volunteerism and praised the progress of one university's voluntary service.

Members of a voluntary service team from Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, recently wrote a letter to Xi about the service provided by its 1,200 members and shared their thoughts about becoming volunteers.

They went to poor mountainous areas to support school education and participated in activities to care for the elderly, the disabled and rural children whose parents work far away in cities.

In a reply letter, the president sent his regards and showed his appreciation for the team members on the 28th International Volunteer Day, which is celebrated each year on December 5.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, encouraged them to make greater contributions through their actions for the realization of the Chinese dream of reviving the nation.

The voluntary service team is named after Xu Benyu, who once studied at Huazhong Agricultural University and was elected one of "China's Ten Outstanding Volunteers."