Active lifestyles turn sport into economic boost

With favorable policies and an ever increasing number of sports enthusiasts, China's sports industry is thriving.

During a recent news conference, Gao Zhidan, head of the General Administration of Sport, said: "During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China's sports industry, based on high-quality development, has strengthened reform and innovation and has a clear goal of building a strong sporting country."

Ding Dong, head of the public sports bureau of the GAS, said that building and utilizing venues and facilities is a topic of interest for the public and a core element in improving the public service system for national fitness. "At present, the '15-minute fitness circle' in the community has been basically realized, and the needs of the masses to carry out fitness activities locally and conveniently have been basically met."

The number of public fitness spaces is constantly expanding, as the country adds basic fitness and sporting facilities to local communities and parks to encourage active lifestyles. More than 170,000 sets of small and diverse fitness facilities such as table tennis tables have been built in nearly 20,000 residential areas and over 5,000 urban parks. At the same time, the country is continuously increasing the construction efforts of stadiums with spectator seating and facilities, sports parks, skating rinks, ski resorts and fitness centers. By the end of 2024, more than 1,300 new sports parks with an average area of over 40,000 square meters were built and put into use, said the GAS.