Chinese sponsors take the lead at Olympics

By 2025, the government is aiming for 38.5 percent of the population to take part regularly in physical exercise－at the end of last year, the proportion was 37.2 percent. According to the plan, the sports sector's market scale in China is expected to reach 5 trillion yuan by 2025.

The government is also aiming to set up more fitness facilities in counties, villages and communities, and for residents to have access to them within a 15-minute journey time.

Lou, from Frost & Sullivan China, said: "In the next five years, the plan looks set to give huge impetus to development of the sports sector industry chain from upstream to downstream, as the level of support is unprecedented in China. Provinces and cities are expected to launch more-specific guidelines and encouragement measures in response to the blueprint.

"China aims to raise the overall physical fitness levels of residents and promote fitness as a habit for the public, instead of just for small groups of professionals. Sports goods manufacturers, gyms and training venues will likely benefit from this trend in the next few years," Lou said.