On January 26, 2005 ahead of the Spring Festival, Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, traveled to Changguang Coal Mine in Changxing county, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, to meet with workers and conduct on-site research.

Xi Jinping, then Zhejiang Provincial Party secretary, meets coal miners 1,000 meters underground at Changguang Coal Mine in Changxing county, Huzhou, January 26, 2005.

Straddling the borders of Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, the mine supported tens of thousands of workers' livelihoods amid mounting operational troubles.

Xi first toured mine areas and visited Shen Shuifa, a worker struggling with a serious illness while supporting a jobless wife and two school-age children.

"After hearing his story, Secretary Xi urged him to keep heart, promising better days ahead," said Zhang Weiwen, then chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Federation of Trade Unions, who joined the tour.

"Before departing, Secretary Xi pressed mine managers to tackle workers' real problems."

Zhang recalled that after the visit, Xi brushed off his team's safety warnings and headed underground to meet the miners. Everyone changed into work gear, hard hats and headlamps before descending 1,000 meters into the shaft.

"The tunnels inside the mine shaft dipped and twisted, forcing us to stoop the whole way, but Secretary Xi pressed on for over 1,500 meters without complaint," Zhang said.

He chatted easily with the miners, probing their pay, output and safety.

To the executives in tow, he stressed: "Value every miner's life - send them down glad and bring them home safe." He thanked them for labor that lights homes and fills coffers across society.

As they wrapped up underground, Xi asked what else the men needed. One young miner spoke up: "Can we take a photo with you?"

"Yes," Xi said, "gather round."

Xi drew them close for the picture, sealing a warm moment.

Returning to the surface, Xi shared lunch with the shift workers. His easy manner soon loosened their caution.

"Coal mining is physically demanding and takes a toll. Eat plenty of vegetables, build your strength, take care of your health," he said.

Xi's plain words and real attention showed his bond with rank-and-file laborers, lifting spirits across the mine.

(Compiled by Huang Jingjing and Yu Jiming; Source: Xi Jinping and Frontline Workers, a book featuring Xi's engagements with workers published by China Workers Press in late 2025)