SHANGHAI - President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to mark the 80th anniversary of the China Welfare Institute.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the institute to unite the people working for women's and children's affairs and provide services for nurturing a new generation of capable young people who have good moral and intellectual grounding and are well-prepared to join the socialist cause.

He said over the 80 years the institute has played its unique roles and gained fruitful outcomes in advancing the women's and children's cause, promoting national reunification, and safeguarding world peace and development.

Xi emphasized his hope for the institute to fully implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, remain committed to the cause for the future, boost the health and development of women and children, and make greater contributions to realizing the two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

A grand commemoration was held Thursday in Shanghai.

Li Qiang, a member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, read Xi's letter at the meeting and called for faster development of China's welfare cause.

China Welfare Institute was originally named the China Defense League, founded by Madame Soong Ching Ling in 1938. It was renamed in 1950 and is tasked with work in maternal and child health care, children's culture and education, and social welfare.