China has witnessed a rapid development of sports undertakings in recent years, but the per capita sports venues, sports consumption and the population engaged in regular physical exercises are far lower than developed countries, said a senior Chinese sports official on Monday.

Liu Peng, Minister of the State Administration of Sport, said that the first two decades of the 21st century is a critical period for China's all social undertakings, including sports.

With China's surging economy and people's rising living standards, the public's demand for sports infrastructures will also be increasing, an obvious contradiction to the current low usage of existing sports facilities, said Liu at the sports round-table meeting of the Ninth Fortune Global Forum.

"It needs us to broaden our vision so as to boost the development of sports undertakings with wider mass participation,"he said.

He hoped that the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a historic event to the whole country, will serve as an impetus for the comprehensive, harmonious and sustainable development of China's sports drive.

China now has over 30,000 professional athletes, some of whom have achieved good results in international arena, and more than 400 million common people engaging in physical exercises.

Liu also noted that China will also help promote international exchanges on sports. Currently, China has joined the global cooperation in prompting the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to draft the International Convention against Doping.

The sports round-table meeting of the Fortune Global Forum is specifically targeted at the rapid development of China's sports undertakings and opportunities mushrooming during the process, according to sources with the forum. 

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2005)