China's Rise to the Global Sports Power

This chapter traces the markedly assertive posture of China under Xi to become “a leading sports nation,” culminated in a 2019 government outline to transform the country into a modern sports power by 2050. Through careful review of primary/secondary sources, the chapter analyzes the political and policy bases of China’s sporting activism, and argues that it has been buttressed by several sporting developments since the 1990s that gradually elevated the country into a visible player in global sporting realm. These include Beijing’s multiple bids for hosting international sporting games (notably the Olympics), campaigns to promote the nation’s global competitiveness in particular sporting games (football under Xi, among others), as well as initiatives to capitalize sporting exchanges with foreign nations to promote China’s images and standing. To supplement these trend reviews, the chapter also features two cases studies of the China’s 2022 Winter Games and its plan to host the World Cup as early as 2030. Together our assessment will shed light on the domestic dimension of China’s global sporting outreach, and suggest the plausible opportunities and challenges the country might face.