One Year Countdown to China’s 15th National Games

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics help prepare Shaanxi Province for 15th National Games

The 15th National Games of the People’s Republic of China will be held in Shaanxi Province in September 2021 - exactly one year from now. Coincidentally, this province will also be hosting China’s 14th National Winter Games in 2020 - acting as a test event ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. In fact, many staff members from the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games will be gaining valuable hands-on experience at the 14th National Winter Games.

National Games provide preparation and legacy for 2022 Winter Olympics

In 2001 Beijing hosted the 9th National Games one year before the city was awarded the right to bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. The dress rehearsal worked well for the organizers of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. Indeed, the National Games provide the perfect opportunity for the organizers of future major sporting events to test their plans and procedures and any shortcomings can be rectified before they become major problems.

The 14th National Winter Games will serve the same purpose for Beijing 2022 – China’s first Winter Games. Several new venues have been built specially for the 2022 Games and the National Winter Games will help to refine operational plans and test new technology. The National Games will also give Chinese athletes the opportunity to experience these new facilities before the 2022 Winter Games.

National Games fuel grassroots sports development in China

While Beijing 2022 will be the main focus for the Chinese sport fans, the 15th National Games in Shaanxi Province next year will serve as another vital step in the development of grassroots sports in China.

Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, built 300 new sports facilities in the run-up to the 14th National Games which legacy will benefit the entire community of the region for years to come.

After the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, the Games venues in Beijing and adjacent Hebei Province will be open to the public and will help to popularize winter sports in a nation where they were previously niche pursuits. Beijing’s long-term goal is to get 300 million Chinese involved in winter sports by the time the 2022 Games close.

China’s sports industry keeps on growing

The 15th National Games are expected to attract more than 12,000 athletes and 10,000 officials. More than 500 million Chinese viewers are expected to watch the action live on television. This huge audience will provide a great platform to showcase China’s growing sports industry.

The value of China’s sports industry reached 700 billion yuan last year and it is expected to grow to 5 trillion by 2025. A mature sports market provides huge opportunities for commercial partners and sponsors.

Shaanxi Province emerges as a rising star

The 15th National Games will also help to boost the profile of Shaanxi provincially and nationally. Historically, Shaanxi is home to the Terracotta Army and other World Heritage Sites and the Games will give a great chance to promote tourism in the region.

Indeed, the Games could help to make Xi’an one of the top tourism destinations in China. The city is bidding to be recognized by UNESCO as a World City and the 15th National Games could help to strengthen its application.