BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has encouraged the officers and soldiers of a company of the 74th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army to carry forward their fighting spirit and build a strong military unit.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when answering a letter from the company known as the "hard-boned sixth company" Saturday.

Xi urged the entire company to pass on their "red genes" and hone their capabilities to win wars.

He also extended Chinese New Year's greetings to them and their families.

A heroic military unit, the company was conferred the honorary title of "hard-boned sixth company" by the Ministry of National Defense in 1964.

Xi visited the unit in 2004 and sent his greetings to the soldiers and officers again in 2014.