President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with ice hockey and skating fans at Wukesong Sports Center in Beijing, Feb 24, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Like millions of other people across the world, President Xi Jinping is an enthusiastic lover of sports.

He likes swimming, mountaineering and watching basketball, football and boxing matches. Sometimes he stays up late to watch televised sports games, according to his wife Peng Liyuan.

Xi himself also mentioned his love for sports on many occasions. "As a state leader, I've dedicated myself to the country's cause. Surely, I always overwork. But we should strike a balance between work and rest. I make time for swimming. I swim a kilometer a day," Xi said during an interview for a Russian TV channel in Sochi, Russia in 2014.

His love for sports began at a young age. "I played football here more than 50 years ago. It was a dirt pitch," Xi said when he watched a football training session during a visit to Beijing Bayi School in 2016.

During that period, Xi also loved ice skating. "I often went ice skating at the frozen Shichahai Lake (in downtown Beijing) right after coming home from school," Xi said when visiting a neighborhood in Beijing in 2014.

During those times, resources were limited and both he and his younger brother loved ice skating, but they only had enough money to buy one pair of ice skates. Therefore, Xi gave up his "quota" to buy ice skates and gave it to his younger brother.

President Xi Jinping poses for a selfie with then-Prime Minister of the UK David Cameron and football player Sergio Agueroduring his visit to Manchester City Football Club, Oct 23, 2015. [Photo/Manchester City FC Twitter account]

For Xi, the benefits of sports are not limited to fitness. They are also a source of inspiration to solve problems related to work.

Xi once used a metaphor involving football to e ncourage cooperation in economy, in an article entitledAdvocating Economic Choirin 1988 when he was Party chief of Ningde, then an impoverished prefecture in East China's Fujian province.

"It's just like a football match. In today's world-class competition, relying solely on individual skills and personal footwork may no longer be in line with the prevailing trend. Scoring goals primarily depends on the organic cooperation among team members. The awareness of collaboration has become an important tactical awareness on the green field," he wrote.

But his love for sports goes beyond personal growth. Xi champions sports as a way to improve the health of the nation. Fitness for all has been made a key national strategy.

Chinese people's life expectancy made a historic leap over the past decade with the average lifespan increasing to 78.2 years from 74.8 years, and key health indicators ranking among the top of middle- and high-income countries.

Not only have Chinese people benefited from Xi's promotion of sports, just like the "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" 50 years ago, sports continue to connect people and enhance friendship between China and the world.

President Xi Jinping receives a custom No 1 Lincoln Abes' game jersey with his name on it on Sept 23, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

During his visit to the United States in September 2015, Xi was presented with a football and a personalized jersey bearing his name and "No 1" on the back at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington. In return, Xi gifted them items including a ping-pong table.

Xi hoped that the younger generations of both sides would inherit the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy and contribute to the development of China-US ties.

"President Xi is a true champion and I want to give him a set of medals because he has a clear vision about the important role of sports in society, and the importance of sports for education for the young people," President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach said in 2017 when Xi visited the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.