Xi Focus-Closeup: Glory and dreams rooted in spade

BEIJING, May 1 (Xinhua) -- At a volunteer tree-planting activity held last month in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping lifted a spade onto his shoulder and skillfully shoveled the dirt to fill the planting pit alongside local residents.

His mastery of the tool was so effortless that many quickly assumed he was an experienced farmer. A similar photo promptly resurfaced on social media.

The photograph fr