China will build more exercise facilities and fields to improve public health, boost fitness industries, and stimulate consumption.

A host of related measures were decided at the State Council’s executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Sept 23.

Premier Li said: “The COVID-19 outbreak has made us realize that fitness is not only each individual’s health needs, but also an important part of coping with public health challenges.”

Public needs more easy-to-use exercise fields

As Chinese people continue to improve their life quality, their demand for sports, exercise, and consumption has expanded as well.

The Premier said: “There is still a large gap in per capita sports space between China and developed countries. As people’s needs for exercise grew, the shortage of sports venues in China has become more prominent in recent years.”

He urged related departments to pay more attention to facilities near people’s reach and provide more diversified and customized ways to exercise.

According to the meeting, local governments should formulate and publish a list of land and construction locations for fitness facilities, turn idle and neighborhood corner areas into exercise fields, and draw plans to build multifunctional sports fields, sports parks, walking paths and courses that are close to communities and easy for the public to access.

Meanwhile, approval of exercise facilities’ construction should be simplified, new residential communities should be equipped with fitness facilities, and existing residential areas should build fitness facilities during renovation work.

Social forces encouraged to participate

Premier Li stressed convenience, accessibility of sports venues, and flexible and diversified ways to meet people’s needs. He also encouraged social forces to participate in the construction of exercise sites and required policies to support and coordinate the construction.

Members at the meeting decided that social forces will be allowed to borrow land from local governments for construction of fitness sites and transfer the land under certain premises.

Public sports and exercise facilities in cities should be further used by people, and more guiding professionals should be cultivated, according to the meeting.

Online sport activities and competitions should also be promoted and exercise platforms further supported under the regular ongoing control of the pandemic.