China Sets 40% Exercise Target in New National Fitness Plan
China’s State Council has issued the National Fitness Plan (2026-2030), setting an ambitious target for 40% of the population to regularly participate in physical exercise by 2030, marking a strategic shift from quantity-focused infrastructure to quality-driven, technology-enabled public health policy.
The plan, formally published on July 23, 2026, as Document No. 26 of the State Council, represents the third five-year national fitness blueprint since the program was elevated to a national strategy in 2014. It aims to increase the regular exercise participation rate — defined as at least three sessions per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity lasting 30 minutes or more — from approximately 37.2% in 2020 to 40% by 2030, according to the State Council announcement. The plan also targets per capita sports venue area of approximately 4 square meters and 3.3 social sports instructors per 1,000 people.
Context and Background
China’s journey toward mass fitness began in 2009 with the establishment of National Fitness Day on August 8. In 2014, national fitness was elevated to a national strategy, and successive five-year plans have progressively expanded access to sports facilities and programs. The first plan (2016-2020) focused on basic infrastructure and achieved a 37.2% regular exercise rate, while the second (2021-2025) targeted 38.5%. The new plan marks a deliberate evolution.
“The most fundamental change of the Plan is the shift from ‘quantitative accumulation’ to ‘qualitative leap,’” Zhang Ruilin, a professor at Beijing Normal University, told People’s Daily. “The national fitness industry is moving from broad coverage to efficiency improvement and precision supply.”
Key Innovations
The plan outlines 10 major tasks, several of which represent novel approaches to public health policy.
‘Gold Corner Silver Edge’ Urban Strategy
A standout initiative is the “gold corner silver edge” approach to fitness infrastructure. Rather than building large-scale luxury stadiums — which are now subject to a strict ban — cities are encouraged to transform marginal urban spaces into fitness areas. Underutilized zones such as spaces under elevated highways, rooftops, industrial plants, and commercial building basements are to be converted into compact, community-centric exercise facilities. The full text of the document explicitly calls for “small but beautiful” fitness venues that bring exercise opportunities closer to where people live and work.
AI-Powered Fitness Guidance
For the first time, a national fitness plan explicitly integrates artificial intelligence. The plan calls for implementing an “AI+” action to develop smart fitness platforms that offer personalized exercise guidance, match supply with demand, and enable online booking of facilities. A national fitness information service platform will be expanded, with features including a universal fitness code, digital transformation of public sports venues, and AI-driven personalized workout recommendations.
Targeted Services for Different Demographics
The plan takes a differentiated approach to population segments:
- Youth: A “student physique strengthening plan” mandates at least two hours of daily sports activities for primary and secondary school students
- Elderly: “Longevity Sports Health Homes” and community multifunctional fitness venues tailored to older adults
- Disabled: Adapted fitness programs and a “Joyful Fitness Action” for disabled citizens
- Rural residents: Expanded village-level competition offerings
“We need to help more people move from ‘being able to exercise’ to ‘knowing how to exercise’ and exercising scientifically,” said Deng Dan, a social sports instructor and world shuttlecock champion, as quoted by People’s Daily.
Analysis: A Shift Toward Preventive Health
The plan’s explicit linkage of fitness with healthcare, education, and economic development marks a significant policy evolution. Li Liang, a researcher at the China Institute of Sport Science, told People’s Daily that “over the next five years, the overall health concept will gradually shift from ‘seeking medical treatment only when ill’ to proactive health and active disease prevention.”
The plan promotes “sports-medicine integration” — establishing exercise-focused health centers that combine physical activity with medical interventions for disease prevention and rehabilitation. This is part of a broader “Healthy China 2030” strategy that positions regular exercise as a cornerstone of public health rather than a recreational activity.
Economically, the plan encourages the development of a “competition economy.” Data from pilot programs in Hebei, Fujian, and Sichuan provinces showed that 1,947 monitored sporting events in 2025 drove 431.28 billion yuan (approximately $59.5 billion) in consumer spending, averaging 22.15 million yuan per event. As People’s Daily reported, the Plan explicitly coordinates with China’s broader “Sports Powerhouse” vision — the document calls for “accelerating the building of a sports powerhouse and healthy China” — which aims to position the country as a global leader in sports by 2050.
Yang Yanli, head of the Sichuan Old Car Enthusiasts Cycling Club, noted in People’s Daily that “policy vigorously supports mass events and encourages the development of grassroots competitions, giving cycling events more room to grow.”
Looking Ahead
The 40% target would mean that by 2030, more than 560 million Chinese citizens exercise regularly. Achieving this will require significant expansion of fitness infrastructure, particularly in underserved rural areas, and widespread adoption of new AI-powered fitness technologies.
Questions remain about how the target will be measured consistently across China’s vast and diverse regions, how data privacy will be handled on AI fitness platforms, and what funding mechanisms will sustain the infrastructure buildout. The plan directs local governments at the county level and above to integrate fitness development into their economic and social planning, with regular evaluations to be conducted by the General Administration of Sport.
As the plan shifts from paper to practice, China’s fitness landscape is poised for a transformation — one driven not just by more facilities, but by smarter, more inclusive, and more scientifically informed approaches to public health.