Xi's stories: Sports powerhouse signals national greatness

On the afternoon of March 5, President Xi Jinping took part in a deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.

(Photo: Xinhua)

"Seeing the five-star red flag fly is my greatest honor; it symbolizes not just a flag, but a belief!" Zhang Yufei–a three-time Olympian and 10-medal winner for China's national swimming team–shared her journey of hard work at the meeting.

Xi encouraged her to keep striving on the sports field and to mentor young athletes. He emphasized, "A strong sports powerhouse is a crucial indicator of a great modern country. A sports powerhouse has two key aspects: first, widespread public participation and high health levels; second, comprehensive competitive sports development."

Afterward, Zhang said Xi's humor eased her nerves during their discussion of China's sports industry.

"He recognized me and said he'd watched me grow up. It was truly heartwarming," Zhang added.