With the coming of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is taking the opportunity to promote sports among its 900 million-strong rural population.
The State General Administration of Sports has recently announced the development of a project that aims to encourage the entire population to take part in sports.
Public sports equipment in rural areas. [cnsphoto]
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And, vice-director of the Administration, Feng Jianzhong, says the focus of the project is now turning to China's vast rural areas.
With the majority of China's 1.3 billion people living in rural areas, Feng Jianzhong says only when rural residents take part in sports and fitness activities, can we say the Olympic spirit and ideal have spread throughout the Chinese public.
"We keep on saying that we will hold a special and high-level Olympics with Chinese characteristics. But can you call it an 'excellent Olympics' if the over one billion people in China don't take part in sports, supporting and enjoying the Games?"
For quite a long period of time, China's rural areas have had a severe shortage of public sports facilities due to their poor economic condition.
Many villages even don't have any public sports grounds or equipment.
Feng Jianzhong says, starting from this year, China's central and local governments have strengthened investment in the construction of sports facilities in rural areas.
In some well-developed provinces, the drive for public fitness facilities has gotten a new boost. East China's Jiang Su province is just one example.
Li Yining, Director of the Provincial Sports Bureau introduces their ambitious plan.
"By 2010, the province will fulfill the goal of having a 'sports ground for every village.' South Jiansu is scheduled to accomplish the plan first in 2007, the middle part will be finished by 2008 and the north by 2010."
Li Yining explains that the province has set different timetables for different regions considering their imbalanced economic conditions.
Also, the State General Administration of Sports has decided to carry out a nationwide project to promote sports and fitness among farmers in the next five years.
The target of the project is to have one sixth of villages across the country with established public sports facilities by 2010. This will benefit 150 million rural residents.
