Magnitus: Yes, we welcome that vaunted strict "work, don't play" discipline for our children with open harms. Our neighbours have made us soft for too long.
The only way for that to work is if there's something more fulfilling or useful in something to do. In the US Youth are often forbidden/discouraged from working jobs, well full time ones anyways, and even part time jobs are iffy til you get to 18. I had a paper route which eats 2 hours a day, and working at subway or another job part time but that was at age 16.
Side jobs used to be common. Mow someone's lawn for $5, wash cars, deliver papers, etc... Far less seen now. Kids would work to make $300 in a summer to buy a bike or the like. Today with video games, i don't know, too easily distracted i suppose.
In china... not sure. With slave labor involved i'm not sure how they have any free time at all. Plus the low standards of their building quality just promises everything will collapse anyways.