Yao Ming speaks to China's efforts in sports and the Olympics

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By CGTN's World Insight

For the past year, former NBA star Yao Ming has been shouldering the responsibility of being the president of the Chinese Basketball Association. CGTN host Tian Wei asked Yao how the year has been for him.

"It is exciting mostly from the challenges: how we can improve our basketball, not only in terms of skill level but also the awareness and involvement of our entire society. We need more people to be on board of this basketball ship, to make it transform from a ship to a vessel, and to make our basketball more competitive at the world level."

Over the past year, people have watched Yao bring about a significant change in China's basketball league. But how much change can come in one year?

"Sometimes sports is like educating your kid. You have to take one step at a time. My attitude is that we have to walk with our two legs. One leg is our game system; we try to compete at world level, and with the other leg we try to reach the ground and let more people join us. It is like walking: You go left, right, left, right. If you land only on one side, you trip."

Former NBA player Yao Ming (R), standing at a towering 2.29 meters, pose with CGTN host Tian Wei for a photo opportunity after an interview. / CGTN Photo

Yao also reviewed China’s continuous efforts in the Olympics.

Almost 100 years ago, Zhang Boling, a famous educator from Nankai University, posed three soul-searching questions to Chinese regarding China and the Olympics. Yao said we now have answered them all.

"The first question is, 'When can Chinese athletes compete in the Olympic Games?' That was answered by Liu Changchun in 1932. He was a sprinter. The second one, 'When can China win the medal?' That was answered in 1984 by Xu Haifeng. He won China’s first gold medal in pistol shooting. The third question is, 'When can China host the Olympic Games?' That was answered by our entire country in 2008."

Now the question is, "Where will China’s sports go after the Beijing Olympics?" Yao wondered. Although he does not have an answer, the question is open to everyone.

World Insight With Tian Wei is a 45-minute global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10:15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT) with rebroadcasts at 4:15 a.m. BJT (20:15GMT).