BEIJING, May 31 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the all-round development of children in a reply letter to students from a primary school in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, encouraged them to be self-reliant and aspiring children in the new era who love the country and the Party.

In the letter dated Thursday, Xi also extended International Children's Day greetings to children nationwide.

Students from Zhijiang Primary School in Sichuan recently wrote a letter to Xi, telling the president about their studies and lives.

In his reply letter, Xi said he was delighted to hear that the school is doing very well and the students are thriving.

"Children are the future of our country," Xi emphasized, encouraging them to "become the talent capable of shouldering the mission of building a strong country and realizing national rejuvenation."

The school, previously situated in the mountainous regions of Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, was relocated and reconstructed in 2004 with the support of Zhejiang Province in east China, where Xi served as Party chief then.

Xi also laid the foundation for the school, which became operational in September 2005 and currently accommodates 287 students.