President joins children in marking Children's Day

Chinese President Hu Jintao joined hundreds of children here Monday to celebrate the International Children's Day, which falls on June 1, chatting and even playing table tennis with them.

The president visited the China Science and Technology Museum, one of the major attractions for children in Beijing, and the Beijing Municipal Children's Palace on Monday morning.

At 8:40, Hu was welcomed by jubilant children at the museum, and he took a close look at about 600 pieces of state-of-the-art materials and products with the children, including the returning capsule of China's first manned flight, two robot dogs capable of performing on command, products and models on environmental protection.

The president later visited the Beijing Municipal Children's Palace, the biggest of its kind in the capital city and spacious enough for up to 5,000 children, at 9:50.

Hu was shown web pages made by children at the palace, and watched with interest children drawing pictures, and later an art performance by children.

President Hu joins children in celebrating the International Children's Day

After enjoying the performance, the president talked with the kids practicing on the basketball court, and played table tennis with a kid.

During his talks with teachers and experts on children's education, the president said China should attach great importance to not only the quality of academic and physical quality of minors, but also their moral standards.

Hu called on the society to create a sound environment for minors to grow up as the minors are the future of the Chinese nation.

"China Youth Daily" reported last week that an estimated 10 million minors under 15 lack the care of one or both parents and nearly half of them did not do well in school as their parents left home as migrant workers.

Earlier this year, China made public a package of unprecedented proposals on creating a sound and better environment for its 367 million youngsters under 18 to grow up well, an environment free of drugs and pornographic and other harmful products.