Beijing Games sponsor Johnson & Johnson is raising water safety awareness among Chinese children as part of a nationwide education program.

The company's Shanghai franchise kicked off its ninth annual "Safe Kids Week" in Beijing's Long Tan Park one week prior to International Children's Day on June 1, and met with a positive response from parents.

"I practiced the warm-up exercises with my son. His teacher also taught him the safety measures at swimming pools," said Liu Jing, mother of a six-year-old boy who was enjoying the games with other kids. "I support this kind of education program because it teaches the children how to protect themselves and even help others."

Having practiced its credo of helping doctors, nurses, patients and local communities for 121 years, the company themed its latest campaign on water safety for children and parents.

The education program, which involves 24 Chinese cities and townships, is part of the "SAFE KIDS Worldwide" campaign that aims to raise awareness of preventable injuries among children.

According to Johnson & Johnson's headquarters in the US, the death and injury rate of American children aged 14 and under has dropped by 43 percent since the campaign was initiated in 1987.

"This kind of education program is inexpensive and simple to do, but it carries a lot of social responsibility," said Zhuang Jialong, chief manager of the Shanghai-based company.

"As a worldwide partner of the Olympics and Paralympics, we are promoting the Olympic spirit, the spirit of pursuing excellence, fair play and health to the corners of the world," he added.

Apart from organizing activities to capture the spirit of the Games, the company will continue to perform its duties as the Official Health Care Products Sponsor of the Olympics and Paralympics since it joined the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City by providing consumer products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics services to the Beijing Games.

Since it was established in 1995, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals has donated 30 million yuan ($3.85 million) to charities in China.