China unveils exciting project to increase public fitness and elite sporting performance by 2030

The General Administration of Sport in China has unveiled an exciting plan to establish the country as a leading sports nation by 2030. Targets that have been set include increasing the fitness levels of the public, expanding sporting opportunities for all as well as improving the performances of elite athletes.  

The plan, inclusive of the 15th Five-Year Plan from 2026 to 2030, includes specific objectives, such as increasing the per capita sports venue space to approximately four square meters, raising the percentage of regular exercisers in the country to around 40% of the population and improving the overall physical fitness rate of the nation to 31.1%.

By late 2025, the per capita sports venue area reached approximately 3.11 square meters, while 38.52% of residents aged seven and above exercised regularly. The physical fitness rate is 30.9%.

The project also highlights China's ambition to maintain its status among the world's elite in terms of achievement at major sports events. It will aim to elevate the total value of the sports industry to over 7 trillion yuan (about $975 billion). During the preceding 14th Five-Year Plan, Chinese athletes amassed an impressive 665 major titles across the Olympic Games and various major events with the sports industry's output reaching 3.8421 trillion yuan by 2024.  

To achieve these goals, the plan sets out 38 key tasks across areas, including national fitness initiatives, elite sports development, youth participation, sports industry growth, cultural enrichment and anti-doping measures. It will be bolstered by eight complementary initiatives focusing on venue construction, talent development, increasing infrastructure and opportunities for outdoor sports and developing sports sciences and technology.