Windhoek, Aug 27 Since the18th CPC National Congress, China has vigorously advanced the construction of a sports powerhouse and a healthy China. The vision of a sports powerhouse has seamlessly merged with the Chinese Dream, with China presenting itself on the global sports stage as a “sunny, prosperous, open, and hopeful nation. “China adheres to the simultaneous development of mass sports, competitive sports, and the sports industry. It maintains a new nationwide system, promotes open-ness and community-wide participation in sports, and deepens anti-corruption efforts in the sports sector. Significant progress has been achieved in anti-doping measures, and a clear and positive sports ecosystem is being built to ensure steady progress to-ward becoming a sports powerhouse. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s important dis-course on sports, China’s sports landscape has undergone many historic changes and achieved numerous accomplishments in the new era. A uniquely Chinese path to building a sports powerhouse is now clearly unfolding before the world.
Change in Structure: The Three-In-One Approach In the new era, the construction of a sports powerhouse in China has acquired deeper connotations, leading to profound changes in its development structure. Xi Jin-ping emphasizes “promoting the coordinated development of mass sports, competitive sports, and the sports industry” as a crucial task in accelerating the construction of a sports powerhouse. This has led to the establishment of a new three-in-one development pattern that supports the realization of the dream of a sports powerhouse. Nationwide Fitness Boom Since the18th CPC National Congress, the national strategy for fitness has been deeply implemented, significantly improving public services. The integration of national fitness with public health has continuously enhanced people’s sense of fulfillment and happiness, injecting strong momentum into realizing a sports powerhouse and a Healthy China. In 2014, China elevated national fitness to a national strategy, leading to an unprecedented surge in fitness enthusiasm. Sports parks have become increasingly common, fitness facilities more advanced, and the formation of15-minutefitness circles has surged. The “Farmers’ Sports Fitness Project” now covers the vast majority of villages in China, with mass sports events flourishing both online and offline. Scientific fitness guidance is reaching people everywhere, with over500millionpeople regularly participating in sports, and the goal of “engaging300million people in ice and snow sports” becoming a reality. Sports are increasingly becoming an important aspect of fulfilling the Chinese people’s aspirations for a better life. Strong Competitive Sports Competitive sports are a crucial part of the sports industry and play a leading and driving role in building a sports powerhouse. Since the18th CPC National Congress, China’s comprehensive strength and international influence in competitive sports have continuously increased. China has consistently ranked among the top three in the med-al tally at the Summer Olympics, with an ever- expanding range of gold- winning events. At the Paris Olympics, the Chinese delegation clinched 40 gold,27 silver and 24 bronze medals in Paris, marking their best performance at an overseas Summer Olympics. At the Beijing Winter Olympics, China secured nine gold, four silver, and two bronze medals, achieving its best performance in Winter Olympics history. Building on stable performances at the Olympics, Chinese athletes have also ex-celled in other international competitions in tennis, racing, boxing, chess, golf, and more. China’s competitive sports are gradually expanding into broader fields, demonstrating increasing comprehensive strength. Thriving Sports Industry Since the18th CPC National Congress, the overall scale of China’s sports industry has significantly increased, with an improving development environment and continuously unleashed market potential, significantly enhancing its status and role in the national economy. The sports industry has experienced an average annual growth rate of over10percent, with total scale and industrial added value growth rates far exceeding the GDP growth rate during the same period. As a new force in the national economy, the sports industry has shown immense potential.
The sports industry has become a new driver of consumption potential, innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment. China has established a sports industry system led by competitive performance and fitness leisure, with sports venue services, sports training, sports manufacturing, and sports media all developing together. This system effectively promotes social employment and addresses structural employment issues. The deep integration of sports with various fields has added new momentum to the high-quality development of China’s economy. The in-depth development of the sports industry has given rise to new models that integrate sports with culture, tourism, health, and training. The “sports +” and “+ sports” concepts have led to increasing cross-penetration and interdependence between the sports industry and related industries, resulting in the emergence of new business forms. Systemic Changes: The Increasing Perfection of the New National System. The national system reflects socialism’s advantage in concentrating resources to achieve significant tasks, serving as the institutional guarantee for the development of Chinese competitive sports. This system is a key factor behind the remarkable achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In sports, the traditional national system has effectively improved the level sports, showcasing China’s institutional advantages and confidence in its chosen path. However, as economic reforms deepen, conflicts between the traditional national system and market mechanisms have become increasingly evident. Addressing issues such as excelling in gold-winning sports, resolving long-standing challenges in football, basketball, and volleyball, advancing scientific research and technological support, providing scientific fitness guidance, integrating sports with health in mass sports, preparing for competitions, and organizing large-scale events all require a new system that mobilizes the collective efforts of the government, society, industry, and market. The new national system integrates the advantage of socialism in concentrating resources for significant tasks with the competitive advantage of market resource allocation within the socialist market economy. It mobilizes national resources to achieve national goals through a new mechanism. In competitive sports, it emphasizes the combination of the traditional national system with market mechanisms, promoting the integration of Chinese competitive sports into the overall development of the economy and society while striving for national glory. Amid complex global challenges and the COVID-19pandemic, China successfully hosted the2022Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics, demonstrating the effectiveness of the new national system. Xi Jinping has continuously shown concern and guidance, planning and promoting the Winter Olympics through five in-depth on-site inspections and four special meetings, leaving footprints across the three Beijing2022competition zones, and issuing a series of important directives, pooling the nation’s efforts for the Winter Games. During these seven years, many Winters Olympic sports in China developed from scratch to world-class levels.
All Beijing2022venues were completed ahead of sched-ule, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou and Beijing-Chongli highways were fully opened, significant achievements were made in environmental protection in the Beijing-Tianjin-He-bei region, urban construction and governance capabilities were rapidly improved, and volunteer services were enthusiastic and considerate. This reflects the new national system’s abilities in coordination, organization, implementation, and resource optimization, as well as its capacity to concentrate resources to accomplish major, challenging, and urgent tasks. Enhancing the Comprehensive Strength of Chinese Competitive Sports Compared to the traditional national system, which focused solely on achieving Olympic glory, the new national system emphasizes combining glory with education. It looks at both athletic performance and self-improvement, valuing medals alongside nationwide fitness, the development of sports projects, and the legacy benefits of hosting large events. Competitive sports now serve multiple functions, including competition, leisure, entertainment, culture, and education, meeting the diverse needs of the people. Integrating Competitive Sports into Economic and Social Development The new national system addresses the high-quality development of competitive sports from “existence to excellence” and “weakness to strength,” complementing the advantages of an active government and an effective market. The government integrates quality resources in athlete selection, training, education, competition, and scientific research, promoting the transformation of research achievements to foster economic and social development.
Contributing to the Development of the Olympic Movement in recent years, China has successfully hosted major international sports events such as the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Chengdu Universiade, and Hangzhou Asian Games. The number of world championships won and world records set by Chinese athletes has rapidly increased. These practices highlight the unique advantages of the new national system, providing valuable experience for the development of world competitive sports.3.3Changing the Main Body: Nationwide Participation Becomes a Trend Since the18th CPC National Congress, the sports sector has adhered to the principles of open sports, hands- off sports, and society- wide sports, gradually forming a new model of sports development.
Open Sports: Activating a New Engine on July24,2021, Yang Qian, a student from Tsinghua University, won the first gold medal for the Chinese delegation in the women’s10m air rifle event at the Tokyo Olympics. Tsinghua University exemplifies a high-level sports team run by universi-ties. The diversified model of national team management has fully mobilized the enthusiasm of schools, local authorities, and social forces to participate in competitive sports. Hands-off Sports: Generating New Momentum In his report at the19th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping stated, “The government needs to transform its functions, further streamline administration and delegate powers, develop new ways of regulation and supervision, and strengthen its credibility and administrative capacity, building itself into a service-oriented government able to satisfy the needs of the people.” Following the State Council’s requirements to deepen the simplification of administration and decentralization, combine regulation with delegation, and optimize services, the sports system has steadily promoted the reform of “delegation, regulation, and service.” This reform involves both reducing administrative power and strengthening supervision.
Sports departments have proactively dele-gated power to related sectors such as education, science and technology, health, culture, and tourism, thereby stimulating the potential of sports social organizations and 24 market entities. ·Society-wide Sports: Opening Up New Ideas at the Tokyo Olympics, many athletes from the Chinese3x3basketball, skateboarding, and sailing teams came from social sports clubs and academies. Since Chi-na’s13th National Games, mass sports events have been featured in the country’s highest-level and largest comprehensive sports event, deeply stimulating the public’s enthusiasm for participating in sports. China is striving to better meet the sports needs of different age groups and categories, including children, teenagers, the elderly, people with disabilities, farmers, women, and workers. The public service system for national fitness, covering the entire life cycle and health process, is constantly being improved. The popularity of road running events continues to grow. The number of mara-thons and related road running events nationwide increased from51in2014to1,828in2019, marking more than a30-fold increase in five years. After the pandemic, road running events quickly recovered, with580events held nationwide in2023, attracting5.5million participants. The2024Wuxi Marathon saw over260,000registrations, setting a new record for marathon events in China. Rural sports have seen significant growth. The Village Super League, dubbed“Cun Chao,” has become a top-tier sports event with over48billion total views on-line. Guizhou’s “Gorgeous Countryside” Basketball League has advanced from provincial to national prominence. Rural sports events have also emerged in table tennis, badminton, and dragon boat racing. These diverse rural sports brands have become key drivers of rural revitalization through the integration of sports and tourism. Sports activities for people with disabilities are becoming increasingly diversified. Events such as the Disabled Fitness Week, National Special Olympics Day, and the China Disabled Ice and Snow Sports Season have been held. Sports have become an effective way for people with disabilities to strengthen their physique, rehabilitate physically and mentally, participate in society, and achieve comprehensive develop-ment.3.4Change in Mindset: An Open, Confident, and Inclusive Great Nation from the Beijing2008Summer Olympics to Beijing2022, China has evolved 25 from “opening the doors to welcome guests” to embodying the spirit of “one world, one family,” and shifting from “I” to “we.” Over these14years, China has transformed from a learner in the Olympic Movement to a leader, becoming what IOC President Bach has described as the “new benchmark for the Olympics. “This transformation reflects a significant shift in the mindset of Chinese sports in recent years.
Today, Chinese sports attract global attention with an open, inclusive, and confident posture. Since the18th CPC National Congress, Chinese sports have achieved numerous historic breakthroughs, continually boosting the confidence and morale of the Chinese people. Consequently, the public’s attitude toward sports has al-so evolved. “We do not judge heroes by wins and losses, but heroes must dare to strive for the forefront and the top,” said Xi Jinping. The broad era fosters colorful dreams, and “success” now has multiple definitions. People have moved beyond the “gold medal only” mentality to embrace a more open and diverse value system. On and off the field, young athletes display wit, sincerity, friendliness, confidence, and a broad perspective, reflecting the charm of a youthful China. At the Tokyo Olympics, Zhang Yufei embraced Japanese swimmer Rikako Ikee, who had recovered from leukemia, and He Bingjiao shed tears for her opponent who had to retire due to injury. At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Su Yiming and his Japanese coach YasuhiroSato responded graciously to judging controversies, and Gao Hongbo, despite receiving the lowest score after an injury, raised his hands high with a bright smile. People now cheer not only for champions but also for these moments that highlight the brilliance of humanity. The change in mindset also signifies a cultural shift. The spirit of Chinese sports, the legacy of the Chinese women’s volleyball team, and the ethos of the Beijing Winter Olympics vividly illustrate the character of Chinese sports culture in the new era, providing strong spiritual motivation for the construction of a strong nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Since the18th CPC National Congress, the content of sports activities in China has become increasingly diverse. As times progress, more sports have transitioned from being merely watched on TV to being actively participated in by the public. Enthusiasm for road running, square dancing, and ice and snow sports remains high, while activities like cycling, hiking, and camping are on the rise. Frisbee, skateboarding, and surfing are popular among young people, and fishing is no longer exclusive to the middle-aged and elderly. Sports are transforming social aesthetics and health concepts, becoming a new way of socializing. Nationwide fitness has fueled the rise of national sports brands. Young people are enthusiastic about Chinese trends and proud of their cultural heritage. Chinese brands are making their mark internationally, with Xtep aiming to create world-class Chinese running shoes, China Li-Ning appearing at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, and Peak’s “TAICHI” series receiving acclaim overseas. In August2022, ANTA surpassed Nike to become the top-selling sports brand in the Chinese market. This reflects a clear manifestation of cultural confidence. Cultural confidence is a deeper, broader, and more fundamental sense of assurance, forming the indelible spiritual foundation of contemporary China. It elevates the rich and meaningful Chinese sports culture onto the international stage.3.5Ecological Change: A Just, Clean, and Innovative Environment Since the new era began, China has been leading the healthy and orderly development of sports to continuously meet people’s aspirations for a better life. This involves enhancing the rule of law in sports, persistently combating doping and corruption, and vigorously supporting technological innovation to empower high-quality sports development, thus creating a fair, clean, and positive ecological environment. Adhering to the Rule of Law in Sports and Improving Relevant Regulations and Policies Significant documents such as the “Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption,” the “Healthy China2030Plan,” the “Outline for Building a Sports Powerhouse,” and the “Opinions on Promoting National Fitness and Sports Consumption to Foster High-Quality Development of the Sports Industry” have outlined a grand blueprint for achieving a sports powerhouse. Local governments have formulated corresponding policies based on these national documents, providing robust legal support for the sports industry. In June2022, the newly revised “Sports Law of the People’s Republic of China “was approved.
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