Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday marked the coming of Children's Day on June 1 with a group of handicapped children and orphans.

At the Beijing Children's Welfare Institute, Hu taught children to make "zongzi", traditional glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and eaten to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on Wednesday.

In a classroom for handicapped kids, he was greeted with a paper-cut flower made by eight-year-old Nan Nan, a mentally-handicapped girl who was learning simple dialogue and just starting to walk by herself.

Holding her, Hu said the governments should improve the system and facilities to assist handicapped children and orphans.

"They are the weakest and neediest group in society. They need most care and love," he said.

The president thanked institute teachers for their great contributions to the development of special education in China.

He also visited Xisibei Kindergarten and urged school teachers there to teach the kids to love, study and labor and become builders of the country.

Source: Xinhua