Xi Story: A passion for sports, a vision for a healthy China
chinadaily.com.cn |
Updated: 2026-06-18 09:50
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"I am a soccer fan," President Xi Jinping once said during his state visit to Mexico in 2013.
In 2016, during a visit to his alma mater, Beijing Bayi School, Xi stopped by a soccer field. "More than 50 years ago, I played here," he said as he watched the students train. "The exercise I did in my childhood laid the foundation for my good health today."
Beyond personal growth, Xi champions sports as a way to improve the health of the nation. "When sports thrive, China grows stronger; when the nation prospers, sports flourish in return," Xi once said.
In 1984, Zhengding county in Hebei province held a county-wide sports meet, which featured events ranging from athletics, gymnastics to a series of public fitness programs.
