The General Office of the State Council recently issued a circular, aimed at boosting mass fitness and promoting public services for Fitness-for-All programs through channeling more efforts to building sports and fitness facilities.

According to the circular, the supply of fitness facilities should be increased effectively to make up for any shortcomings in residential communities. Mass fitness activities should be vigorously carried out with continuing epidemic prevention and control efforts. By 2025, bottleneck problems restricting planning and construction should be removed, with a more effective working mechanism for interaction between concerned departments.

Regional authorities nationwide should launch surveys on fitness facilities and evaluate the layout and accessibility. Using established criteria and people’s demands as a reference, they should identify what needs to be strengthened in a timely manner.

The circular said that local departments concerned should all draft a five-year plan on improving any weak links in fitness facilities within one year. Local mass sports and fitness projects should be taken into account in planning.

The circular also stressed more effective land use in many aspects. It said that local governments should tap into the full potential of urban vacant land, make the best use of land for public welfare construction, encourage land leasing, and integrate fitness facilities with other public service facilities.

In a bid to improve the construction and operation of fitness facilities, a slew of measures should be taken by local governments, including government review simplification, old building renovations, and transfers, and ensure supporting fitness facilities to newly built residential communities.

Social investments are also welcomed to build facilities and serve as operators of venues. Large stadiums will receive favorable policies, and they are encouraged to open to the public for free.

The circular encourages venue operators to improve online multichannel appointment systems. People should be able to make reservations through instant messengers, apps, official websites, and hotlines. Strict limits on visiting times should be adopted according to epidemic prevention and control needs.

The construction of Internet Plus fitness facilities, such as the event management and public service system for communities around the country based on PC and mobile terminals, should be entrusted to professional institutions, said the circular. Also, it calls on promoting at-home fitness for all.