As many as 270 million Chinese people participate in winter sports, accounting for around 24 percent of China's population, according to a national survey by Renmin University of China released on Nov. 20.
Just before China was named the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the International Olympic Committee that the country would aim to increase its population's winter sports participation to 300 million.
The survey results were reported at a culture festival for ice and snow sports held in Renmin University of China in Beijing. The university surveyed 334 relevant prefecture-level and municipal organizations in all 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the Chinese mainland.
According to the survey, different regions feature distinctly different levels of participation in winter sports. In regions with a traditionally high participation, which are Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces and Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang autonomous regions, nearly 50 percent of the people have participated. In comparison, in 14 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in southern China, only 20 percent of the people have participated. In addition, in terms of the types of sports, Chinese have mostly taken part in the sports during ice and snow sightseeing activities in parks and scenic spots.
Besides the participation in winter sports, the survey also analyzes the social environment for the participation in winter sports, the popularity of winter sports competitions, and the participation of volunteers in the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The survey was conducted by the National Survey Research Center at Renmin University of China, and will be conducted annually from 2018 to 2022 ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
In addition to releasing the survey report, the festival at the university also included promotion events like a Winter Olympics-themed cultural exhibition, activities to experience winter sports, and academic events like a launching ceremony for Winter Olympics books, lectures to popularize Winter Olympics knowledge, and a forum on legacies of hosting the Winter Olympics.
