Shanghai seeks world-class sports stature

Shanghai released a document on Wednesday listing 30 guidelines to boost the sports industry - part of its effort to build itself into a global city of excellence by 2035.

Under the guidelines, which were released by the municipal government at a news conference, Shanghai is on track to become China's leading sports power by 2020, with an annual industry output estimated at 200 billion yuan ($29.3 billion). Over the next five years, the city will continue to double its annual sports output to become a world-class sports city. By 2035, it is expected to boast a sports industry on par with other major sports cities globally.

"The sports industry has become the new growth point of the national economy," Chen Qun, a vice-mayor of Shanghai, said at the news conference.