Chinese State Sports Policy: Pre- and Post-Beijing 2008

Abstract

This article provides an overview of Chinese sports policy and practice, the origin, the challenge and continuity, from the 1920s to the 2000s with particular emphasis on the post Beijing Olympics. It states that the development of Chinese sports policy has always been shaped by political, economic and educational requirements. Since the beginning of the reform and open-up in the late 1970s, elite sport received more support from the government while mass sport was hoped to be supported by the market and society. After the Beijing Olympics, it is likely that the government will continue its economic reformation of sport in the areas of mass sport and sports industry. At the same time, elite sport will continue to develop in the traditional form of ‘Juguo Tizhi' (whole country support elite sport system) for its political and patriotic purposes.