China takes advantage of Beijing 2022 to push winter sports

BEIJING — The Chinese government issued the "Guidance on Taking the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as an Opportunity to Develop Winter Sports" on March 31, trying to seize the opportunity of the Olympics to usher winter sports into a new level.

The guidance lists main goals of China's winter sports by 2022, including that the development of winter sports in China will be more balanced; popularity will be significantly improved; participation will increase by a large margin, and the influence will be more extensive.

According to the guidance, China will compete in all events at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, and will improve athletes' competitiveness, thus ensuring breakthroughs in performance.

The guidance stresses the importance of preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

To provide better facilities, related departments and institutions should push forward scientific research, set "green channel" for procurement of training equipment and construction projects for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics, optimize procurement procedures, and improve procurement efficiency.

To ensure a well-rounded environment for training, authorities should undertake training and supporting tasks when conditions permit, strengthen the construction of training venues and facilities for national teams, and speed up the establishment of the training and supporting team.

To build an incentive mechanism, local governments should formulate education and settlement policies after retiring that conform to the characteristics of winter sports athletes, ensure the treatment and fully mobilize the enthusiasm of athletes, coaches, and other personnel to address their concerns and better prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The guidance shows the Chinese government's determination to popularize mass winter sports. Local governments should perfect the system, construct more facilities, diversify sports activities, strengthen publicity, and carry out extensive activities for youth such as sports events and school activities.

The guidance also calls for the development of winter sports industry.

First, cultivate the main body of the market. Local governments should implement the brand strategy, establish industrial areas with relatively large scales, develop companies with relatively large influence and strong market competitiveness, and build composite bases for tourism and sports.

Second, optimize industrial structure. Local governments should promote the fitness, leisure, and tourism industry, integrate winter sports industry and related industries, and provide diversified products and services. Local governments should innovate in the manufacturing industry of winter sports equipment and promote synergy between upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. High-tech enterprises with independent intellectual property will be strongly supported.

Third, expand the market of competition and performance. Local governments should arrange the bid for holding international high-level sports events in an orderly manner. For highly spectacular winter sports such as figure skating, ice hockey, curling, snowboarding and short track speed skating, local governments should support social forces to create high-quality events and activities.

Also, they should support the application of new technologies such as ultra-high definition video and virtual reality in the live broadcasting and relay of winter sports events, thus developing related industries at the same time.