Building a strong sports nation will remain one of the top priorities of the Chinese Government for a long time to come. A guideline on building a leading sports nation published by the State Council, China's cabinet, in August rolls out a roadmap for the development of sports.

According to the guideline, Chinese people's physical condition and health will take the lead in the world and the international influence of Chinese sports will greatly improve. Sports will become indispensable in China's national rejuvenation.

The development will be ensured in three stages. In the first stage, a new sports development system will be formed by 2020, which is also the deadline for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In the second stage, a modern sports governance system will be established. More and more people will participate in sports and exercising will become more convenient. The proportion of those doing physical exercises regularly will be over 45 percent of the population while the average per-capita sports space will reach 2.5 square meters. Over 92 percent will pass the national physical condition test. In the third stage, a socialist modern sports power will emerge by 2050.

Sports remain an important part of China's history, playing an internationally acknowledged role in Chinese diplomacy in the past. The ping-pong diplomacy between China and the U.S. in the 1970s—a series of mutual visits between the two countries' national table tennis teams that helped the normalization of bilateral relations—created a trend. Keeping that in mind, the guideline encourages sports NGOs, stars, enterprises, the media and overseas Chinese to play a role in international sports exchanges. International sports exchanges and cooperation are highlighted as ways to promote China's diplomacy.

The guideline has triggered some suspicions about the goal to build a strong sports country, given that China has already been leading the medal tally at major international competitions.

However, the sports goal is not intended to intimidate foreign sportspersons. It is a means to improve domestic capabilities and benefit the international community. For instance, the guideline aims to improve the health of the nation by promoting nationwide fitness programs. It also spurs the development of the sports industry to cultivate new growth drivers for the economy, which is an engine of global growth. The sports industry is projected to account for 4 percent of the GDP by 2035.

The guideline also sets out to boost the sports culture and spread the Chinese sports spirit. Ethnic sports and folk sports have become part of traditional Chinese culture while sports-themed films and TV programs, music, photography, fine arts, cartoons and souvenirs are becoming new incarnations of the sports culture.