I want to act as a cultural bridge for both countries

Do To Hoa, a graduate student from Vietnam at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

Every time I sing the song I love you, China, I feel it expresses the feelings in my heart.

When I first came to China in 2013, I thought it would be a good thing if I could become a music teacher at a university back in Vietnam after graduation.

But now, I really hope I can do more things and become a cultural bridge between the two countries, making a contribution to a closer China-Vietnam friendship.

I remember how President Xi Jinping encouraged me to play the role of peace envoy between China and Vietnam in 2017 after I sang On the Hopeful Field (a popular song in the 1980s) during his visit to Vietnam.

Actually it was not the first time I had sung for him.

Back in 2015, when President Xi visited Vietnam, I performed two Chinese folk songs for the leaders of China and Vietnam as a junior student at Guangxi Arts University.

After the performance, Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, spoke with me. She asked where I studied and the name of my teacher, which made me very happy because I know she is a famous singer in China.

For me, it is great to study in China because I fell in love with Chinese folk songs when I was very young and it is my dream to study vocal music every day.
I think I have a great link with China because I learn Chinese folk songs very quickly and my voice is quite suitable for them.

I'm very thankful to my family, which has been very supportive since I came to China.

My father died of heart disease in 2016 when I was participating in a singing competition hosted by China Central Television and I could not go home immediately.

But when he was ill, my father told me, "It is your dream to sing, so you should continue in the contest and perform well, so that our Chinese friends will better understand our culture."

As a result, I worked very, very hard. Now, my younger brother bears the burden of taking care of my mom and the whole family, which gives me the opportunity to continue pursuing my dream in China.

My family members have never visited China, but I hope they can come to Beijing and attend my concerts during my graduate study in the near future.
Many of my friends in Vietnam said I have become increasingly like a Chinese. That's a good thing, isn't it?

Do To Hoa spoke with Mo Jingxi.