Q & A: Why do Chinese care so much about sports?

BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- From "sick man of Asia" to the top on the Olympic gold medal list, China presents the world with the progress it has made in both promoting national fitness and training athletic talents during the 60 years since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949.

To mark the moment are legendary Chinese renowned gymnast Li Ning, star hurdler Liu Xiang and other athletes and coaches who make their presence on floats in two formations themed "sports development" and "Beijing Olympics" passing the Tian'anmen Square on Thursday morning.

Attending the formations marching on the Chang'an Avenue are also paraders riding racing bicycles, holding volleyballs, waving rackets, or holding "Fuwa", the mascot of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, in addition to those in Tai Chi uniforms.

The parade hailed the fact that Chinese had shrugged off the nickname "sick man of Asia" and grown to be a big sports power.

Liu Peng, director of the General Administration of Sports, said on Sept. 27 that the 60 years had witnessed a great leap fromshortage of sports facilities and national weak physique before New China was founded.

The Chinese government has worked hard to promote national fitness since then. In 1952, Chairman Mao Zedong set the principleof "Promoting physical culture and sports; strengthening the people's physique" for physical exercises nationwide.

In 1995, China adopted the "Physical Health Law of the People's Republic of China". In the same year, the State Council unveiled the "Outline of Nationwide Physical Fitness Program", pledging a sports and health-building service system for the general public.

Under the 15-year-long program, the government will take measures to ensure that about 40 percent of the Chinese people participate in regular physical exercises by 2010.