Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan called on efforts to strengthen athletes’ training for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the development of the sport industry, during her inspection tour to Northeast China’s Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces from April 10 to 12.

Sun visited training facilities in the provinces, saying she hoped athletes and coaches would make best of these facilities to improve competitiveness.

Talent training and selection will be prioritized this year, Sun said, adding that the national team’s training work should be strongly supported, through building a sound medical security system, providing special funds for athletes’ recovery and social insurance for injuries and diseases, etc.

Great efforts should also be made to build indoor training bases that can be used all year round by renovating old factory space and idle warehouses, she said. Cooperation with international individual sports organizations and countries taking lead in winter sports should be enhanced as well.

Sun also paid visits to communities, enterprises and public sports venues. She said sport is not only an important social cause, but also a sunrise industry with a long industrial chain, which can help boost consumption and optimize the economic structure.

Local industrial advantages, folk customs, climates and landscapes should be taken into account in developing the sport industry, and the integration of the sports industry and other industries, such as the equipment manufacturing industry and the service industry, should be promoted, Sun noted.

According to Sun, private actors should also be encouraged to enter the industry, and preferential policies should be made to stimulate the sports market’s vitalities.

In addition, efforts should be intensified to develop sports infrastructure, and provide people with more free or low-cost access to public facilities.