Former basketball star Yao Ming, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said on Tuesday in Beijing that he will promote a specially designed sports class on Chinese high school campuses.

Yao is attending the third session of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, the country's top political advisory body, which opened Tuesday in Beijing and will continue for the next 10 days. A total of 2,153 members of the CPPCC National Committee will discuss major issues concerning the country's development during the annual session.

Yao said in his proposal that physical education courses in schools are part of the nation's process of deepening reform. He sees the specially designed P.E. class as a breakthrough in effectively improving students' physical condition and health.

"The special P.E. class will allow schools to guide students to learn a bit more about a certain kind of sports and to deepen their understanding of sports, nurturing their interest in sports and helping students actively participate in them rather than passively learning them," Yao explained. "Even though the students may not achieve professional-level abilities, they will know more about a certain sport and have more interest and confidence. This will establish a solid basis for lifelong exercise and fitness."

The program has been tested in Shanghai, and Yao said the results of the pilot program are positive. Yao also did research in several provinces and cities across China last year.

Physical education programs face many difficulties including lack of teachers and course materials, as well as a lack of an evaluation system. Yao’s proposal also suggests that schools organize matches for a particular sport, which can ignite students' passion and interest in sports, but should not stress the concept of "sacrifice everything for winning gold medals" that has long been central to physical education in China. He also mentioned that student sport associations and school teams should be formed and strengthened.

Last September, Yao's proposal to "cancel the sporting events approval procedure to activate the sports market" was adopted by the State Council, China's cabinet, which decided to end the inspection and approval process for commercial sporting events and mass sports activities.

"This is only the beginning," Yao said. "To develop the sports industry, we must first get rid of the administrative examination and approval formalities. Reducing such procedures can activate market forces and private capital."

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