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BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping often interacts with children on International Children's Day, extending warm greetings to children across the country.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently replied in a letter to student docents at the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai and the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Museum in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province.

He encouraged them to carry forward revolutionary traditions, broaden their knowledge, develop their abilities, and strengthen their willpower and moral character.

In Xi's view, childhood represents the most precious stage in a person's life -- a time when the first "button" in life must be fastened properly.

Children's well-being and education have been a priority for him. From school meals and dormitories to physical fitness and scientific aspirations, Xi has long shown concern for various aspects of children's development, reflecting his broader vision of nurturing the next generation.

BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWING UP

In April 2019, Xi traveled for more than three hours on mountainous roads to Zhongyi Township in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

At a primary school in the township, hidden deep among ravines and barren land, Xi underscored the importance of guaranteeing compulsory education for every child.

More recently, during a June 2024 inspection tour in Qinghai Province in northwest China, Xi visited a middle school. He walked through the cafeteria, dormitories and classrooms, asking students about their meals, living conditions and studies.

He specifically asked whether warm water was available during the harsh winters, stressing that it should be provided around the clock, so children could wash comfortably.

"Nothing matters more to us than seeing children grow up healthy and happy," he said.

Under Xi's leadership, China has strengthened policy support for children's well-rounded development, including revising the law on the protection of minors and introducing a development outline through 2035 for a better educational environment.

STRONG BODIES, BRIGHT FUTURE

In September 2020, while visiting a primary school in Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Xi stepped into a classroom. As he was leaving, he noticed a girl wearing glasses. Waving goodbye, he reminded the kids: "Take care of your eyes."

Xi has repeatedly expressed concern over rising rates of myopia among children. "More and more children are wearing glasses nowadays. This is a hidden worry," he once said, calling on the whole society to protect children's eyesight and ensure they have a bright future.

Xi believes that physical exercise should begin early in life. Better living standards should not mean children growing chubbier, but becoming stronger and fitter via exercise.

During a visit to Beijing Yuying School ahead of International Children's Day in 2023, Xi watched students play basketball and jump rope during a physical education (PE) class.

"More physical activity means fewer chubby kids and fewer children with eyesight problems," he said, urging schools to recruit more qualified PE teachers and calling on families, schools and society to work together to improve children's health.

In recent years, China has rolled out a range of measures to improve students' physical fitness, including a national fitness initiative for students and policies encouraging at least one PE class a day. Data show that the overall incidence rate of myopia among Chinese students has declined since 2018, while their physical health has steadily improved.

INSPIRING SCIENTIFIC DREAMS

When interacting with children, Xi frequently mentions one word: dreams.

"I want to become a scientist and build flying houses, so people can escape disasters," a child told Xi in May 2013 at a school in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, shortly after the region was struck by a powerful earthquake.

Xi smiled approvingly and replied, "Young people should dare to dream." He added that many ideas found in the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West" and in Jules Verne's science fiction had become reality, such as spaceships and submarines.

"Realizing dreams also requires hard work and studying," he stressed.

In September 2016, Xi visited a science laboratory at Beijing Bayi School. Learning that students were developing a small satellite, he expressed delight and reminded them: "Don't forget to let me know when your satellite is about to launch."

Three months later, before the satellite was launched, the students wrote to Xi to share their progress. In his reply, Xi encouraged them to "maintain a thirst for knowledge, sustain an interest in exploration, and cultivate a scientific spirit."