Science-fiction writer Liu Cixin, poet Bei Dao and writer Han Song are among the experts talking about sci-fi creations at the recent launch in Beijing of a collection of short stories, entitled Science Fiction for Children. [Photo provided to China Daily]

While they both picked old classics and representative pieces by contemporary writers, Liu and Han had different approaches to the new collection of short stories for children.

"I focused more on hardcore technology, or hard science fiction," Liu says.

Comparatively, Han's emphasis was on "the philosophical thinking and doubts about the human capability to conquer nature", Dai says.

Liu writes in his preface to the book that opposed to fairy tales, scifi will gradually become a reality. As a result, apart from inspiring children's imagination and broadening their view, sci-fi will help to mentally prepare children for various possibilities of the unknown universe, Liu says.