Moving along nicely
A circular issued by China’s State Council in August 2021, heralded the beginning of a mass fitness programme to coincide with the country’s 14th five-year plan (2021-2025) for social, economic and “green” environmental development. The broader guidelines had already been endorsed by its National People’s Congress that March. Specific objectives include engaging 38.5% of the population in regular physical activity and growing the sports industry to a value of more than $715 billion per year, plus either constructing or expanding more than 2,000 public sports parks, fitness centres and stadia, all before the end of 2025. Everybody, down to those living in administrative villages and communities, will be living within a 15-minute walk of a “full-coverage” exercise facility by then, according to the plan.
