Boy becomes ‘celebrity’ after posing in photo with president  

男童包子铺与习近平合影 成幼儿园明星(图)

(ECNS) -- The boy who joined a group photo with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his weekend visit to a Beijing steamed bun shop has become a little "celebrity" at his school, Dahe.cn observed on Thursday.

The boy surnamed Yuan is from Luoyang, Henan province. He encountered the president while having a lunch with his family on December 28, 2013.

Xi paid an impromptu visit to a branch of the Qingfeng Steamed Bun Shop on Yuetan North Avenue that day. He waited in line to order his own 21 yuan (3.4 US dollar) meal of six steamed pork buns, a cold vegetable dish and a bowl of soup - all traditional northern dishes - and paid for them out of his own pocket. The food is now called the "set meal for President Xi" by Chinese netizens.

After the president finished his meal, the boy came forward and greeted him.

The president smiled and asked the boy: "How old are you?"

"I am five years and eight months," the boy replied.

"You are a tall and strong boy. Come here and take a photo with me," said the president, pulling the boy closer to him.

The boy's parents then shot pictures with their cell phones.

The boy said the president is a "nice elder."