Beijing tour of the "ice-haired boy"

Wang Fuman, a boy whose hair turned white after walking to school in -9 degrees Celsius weather, recently went on a three-day tour of Beijing with his father and sister. The entire trip was sponsored by China Peace News, a propaganda website run by the Communist Party.Straits TimesIn the photo, Wang Fuman is carried on his father's neck to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square on January 20.

During the trip, the 8-year-old boy visited the anti-terrorism special forces and the national police academy. In early December 2017, when the image of a poor boy arriving at school with frozen hair after nearly an hour of walking attracted media attention, Wang Fuman said that he dreamed of becoming a police officer when he grew up.

During the trip, the "ice-haired boy" tasted the famous Beijing roast duck for the first time and saw the skyscrapers and many cars on the main road. "Beijing is so modern, very different from what I imagined," said Wang Fuman.

Wang Fuman was most impressed by the capital's heating system. "It's very cold at home, and we have to burn charcoal at night to keep warm. But the rooms in Beijing are very warm, and I only need to wear one layer of clothes. The heating system I saw for the first time was truly a miracle," the 8-year-old said. In the photo, Wang Fuman and his sister visit the police university.

Wang Fuman enjoys trying on the protective suit of the anti-riot and anti-terrorism force.

Phu Man has been dubbed the Ice-Haired Boy on social media, and supporters have donated more than $46,900 to help him. The government gave Phu Man’s family $1,250, saying the rest would be shared with other disadvantaged children. The boy lives with his grandmother and sister in a thatched house while his father works far away. He says he only sees his father once every few months. His mother has left home.

An officer teaches Wang Fuman the police salute. During the trip, Wang Fuman's father expressed his wish that his son could stay in Beijing to study, but the 28-year-old also emphasized: "It really doesn't have to be a school in Beijing. As long as my son is well taken care of by the school and doesn't have to walk long distances to school in the cold, I'm happy."