The Youth Olympic Games kicked off in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Saturday with President Xi Jinping's gaze set on the country's hopes of hosting another top global sporting event.

Xi underscored the country's commitment to the Olympics to the chief of the International Olympic Committee.

Beijing and nearby Zhangjiakou are bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and Xi told visiting IOC president Thomas Bach on Saturday that China would take the opportunity in Nanjing to contribute more to the Olympic movement.