In oldChina, sports developed very slowly due to various reasons. However, ever since the founding of the People's Republic ofChina(PRC) in 1949, the government has attached great importance to the sports development and has made great achievements.
As far as competitive sports are concerned, up to April 2000, Chinese athletes had won 1,317 world championships since March 1959 when Rong Guotuan captured the first world championship forChinaat the 25th World Table Tennis Championships held inGermany.
In the five Olympic Games that the PRC has participated,Chinaranked fourth in the gold medal tally in three ones. In the 2000 Sydney Games,Chinaput on an even better performance, finishing 3rdboth in gold and total medal tally behind theUnited StatesandRussia.
2001 was a harvest year for Chinese sports.Chinanot only successfully hosted the 21stWorld University Games but also won the bid to host the 2008 Winter Olympics. And Chinese men's soccer team also won the right to play in the 2002 World Cup, realizing 53 years of dream.
In public sports, more and more Chinese people have taken and are taking part in all kinds of sports activities and more and more mass sports associations and organizations have been founded, such as the Angling Association, Kite Association and Dragon Boat Association.
On the New Year's Day in 1995, the Chinese government put forward the Whole Nation Health Building Plan with the aim of improving the whole nation's health. The plan called on all Chinese to take part in at least one sports activity every day and take one physical examination once a year.
The Physical Health Law of the People's Republic of Chinawas adopted by the Standing Committee of National People's Congress onAugust 29, 1995. It was the first time for the state to enshrine the principle of "promoting physical culture and building up the people's health" in law.
Chinahas joined 97 international sport federations and 87 Asian sport associations. More than 200 Chinese nationals hold leading positions in international sport organizations. Nineteen Chinese were awarded the "Olympic Medal of Honor" conferred by the International Olympic Committee.
At the same time,Chinahas successfully held the 11th Asian Games, the 3rd Asian Winter Games, the 1st East Asian Games, 6thFar Eastand South Pacific Games for the Disabled and other international sports competitions.
Besides,Chinahas provided active support to the member countries of the International Olympic Committee. More than 50 stadiums and gymnasiums have been built byChinafor more than 30 countries and regions. In 1999,Chinaapplied to the International Olympic Committee to hold the 2008 Olympic Games.
Newspapers, magazines, journals and publishing houses that follow sports inChinahave greatly developed. There are 12,353 newspapers and magazines, including the English-language magazine China Sports that focus on sports. More than 400 million copies of books on sports have been published. Most Chinese television and radio stations broadcast news on sports events and sports celebrities.
With Swifter, Higher, Stronger as its aim, Chinese sports is sure to develop faster and faster.
Email to Friends
Print
Save