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chinA true champion behind China’s drive for building a sporting powerhouse

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-- Chinese President Xi Jinping declares the country's 14th National Games open in Xi'an, northwest China.
-- A firm promoter of national fitness and a keen sports fan himself, Xi has advocated sports as an important means for improving people's health, meeting people's aspirations for a better life and facilitating all-around human development.
-- International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach describes Xi as "a true champion" and "the true Olympic champion for the youth" because of his clear vision about the important role of sports in society and the importance of sports for education for the young people.
chinA true champion behind China’s drive for building a sporting powerhouse
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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends the opening ceremony of the 14th National Games and declares the Games open in Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province, Sept. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
By Xinhua writers Su Bin and Yao Youming
【 chinA true champion behind China’s drive for building a sporting powerhouse】XI'AN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the country's 14th National Games open in Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Wednesday evening.
This marked the third time that Xi has attended the opening ceremony of the country's premier multi-sport event since 2013.
A keen sports fan himself, Xi has on many occasions expounded on his profound understanding of sports and taken the lead in China's efforts to turn the country into a sports powerhouse, a goal he described as part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.
"President Xi is a true champion and I want to give him a set of medals because he has a clear vision about the important role of sports in society, and the importance of sports for education for the young people. So in this respect, he is the true Olympic champion for the youth," International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach told reporters when Xi paid a visit to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2017.
chinA true champion behind China’s drive for building a sporting powerhouse
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Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), speaks to Xinhua in an interview in Lausanne, Switzerland, Jan. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)
BUILDING A SPORTS POWERHOUSE
As a firm promoter of national fitness, Xi has advocated sports as an important means for improving people's health, meeting people's aspirations for a better life and facilitating all-around human development.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Chinese people's enthusiasm for sporting exercises has been on a rise, along with the elevation of the Fitness-for-All Five-Year Plans into a national strategy.
These measures in promoting mass sports are excellent manifestation toward Xi's remarks -- "The foundation of building a sporting powerhouse lies in mass sports."
Outside a public fitness sports center located in Yan'an, a former revolutionary base of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Wu Yan is leading a team to perform yangko, a folk-style Chinese dance.
At the end of August, two teams guided by Wu won top and third prizes in the square dance event in mass program of the 14th National Games, which is billed as China's "mini Olympics".
"During the revolutionary period, the yangko and waist drum were promoted to the whole country from Yan'an. Now fitness waist drum and yangko created by us have brought people the health," said Wu.
As reflected in the 14th edition's theme "Games for all, together in mind and action", the National Games not only witnesses elite athletes contending for glory, but also sets a stage for ordinary people to showcase their athletic skills and enthusiasm.
In a bold move to reform the National Games, the 13th edition in Tianjin four years ago opened its doors to amateur competitors, as some 8,000 non-professional competitors from all over China, and even from abroad, got a chance to shine on the national sporting stage. And a total of 185 events across 19 sports in mass program are included for the 14th National Games.
chinA true champion behind China’s drive for building a sporting powerhouse
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Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2017 shows the opening ceremony of China's 13th National Games in Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua/Xu Zijian)
UPHOLDING OLYMPIC SPIRIT
At the Tokyo Olympics, China won 38 golds, 32 silvers and 18 bronzes, equalling its haul of gold medals at London 2012 for the best performance at an overseas Olympics.
Despite missing out on a medal in Tokyo, 32-year-old sprinter Su Bingtian has been hailed as a hero by many Chinese sports fans for bettering the men's 100m Asian record to 9.83 seconds.


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