China vows to increase sports facilities

BEIJING - China has vowed to increase the nation's expanse of public sporting areas to 1.5 square meters per head of population by 2015, according to a five-year plan released on Monday.

Under the plan drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission, or the country's top economic planner, and the General Administration of Sport, China will construct more public sports facilities in the next three years to guarantee people's rights to take exercises and encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Photo taken on Dec 7, 2012 shows students running in a stadium at a ceremony marking the start of the winter long-distance running activities for students in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

The central government will earmark funds each year to ensure each county with suitable conditions builds a stadium, and half of all cities or regions of the same administrative level have indoor sports centers designed for residents of all ages, according to the plan.

China will also continue to provide sports facilities for residents in its central and western regions, and support villages in those areas to build a hard court for basketball and two outdoor ping pong tables, it added.

China now owns more than a million sports venues of all kinds, official data has showed.