One teen's dream is a child's treasure

Inspired by the "Chinese dream" mentioned by First Lady Peng Liyuan two years ago, German graduate Maximilian Volges came to South China's Guangxi province as a volunteer to teach English to rural students.

"You told us that your Chinese dream is let all children, especially girls, to have access to good education," Volges, who arrived in China earlier this year, told Peng in Chinese at the Diaoyutai State guesthouse in Beijing on Wednesday.

"I was deeply influenced by your 'Chinese dream', so I came to China to teach English voluntarily in Guilin," said Volges, whose Chinese name is "Kong Hao".

The 18-year-old high school graduate is part of a delegation consisting of students and teachers from the Burg- Gymnasium (High School) in Essen. In March 2014, Peng visited the school during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Germany.

Peng spoke highly of the German volunteer's contribution to rural education in South China.

"A year later, you will feel the seed of China-Germany friendship that you sowed in the students' heart will blossom beautifully," Peng told the volunteer.