Comment by tristanj

It's also worth reading the leaked 2009 US diplomatic cables about Xi published by Wikileaks. They're cited by the BBC story and give a lot of background. The source is from a former close friend of Xi who is currently a professor at a U.S. university.

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09BEIJING3128_a.html

I found this section quite interesting.

  Familiarity with the West and Taiwan

  ------------------------------------

  25. (C) Based on personal experience, the professor noted, Xi 
  is very familiar with the West, with a sister in Canada, an 
  ex-wife in England, a brother in Hong Kong, many friends 
  overseas, and prior travel to the United States.  As far as 
  the professor can discern, Xi's family and friends have had a 
  good experience in the West.  The professor contrasted Xi's 
  experience and attitudes toward the West with those of people 
  sent to the United States by their work units, such as the 
  nationalist and sometime anti-U.S. Tsinghua University 
  scholar Yan Xuetong.  Xi was the only one of his immediate 
  family to stay behind in China, the professor noted, 
  speculating that Xi knew early on that he would "not be 
  special" outside of China.

  26. (C) Xi is favorably disposed toward the United States, 
  the professor maintained, and would want to maintain good 
  relations with Washington.  The professor said Xi has "no 
  ambition" to "confront" the United States.  During Xi's visit 
  to Washington, D.C., in 1987, he told the professor that he 
  had no strong impressions of the United States.  Although Xi 
  was not particularly impressed by the United States, he had 
  nothing bad to say about it either.  Xi took a detached 
  stance, as if observing from a distance, viewing what he saw 
  as just a normal part of life, not strange, the professor 
  said.