Rise of fitness events in China to fuel economic growth

China is experiencing a surge in outdoor and sporting activities which serve as a powerful catalyst for consumption and economic growth.

In Baoding City, north China's Hebei Province, residents are flocking to a local sports center for their fitness fix. Activities such as tug-of-war, balance bike racing, and pickleball are igniting public enthusiasm for sports.

"Pickleball is such a vibrant and enjoyable sport. It allows us not only to experience the joy of sports but also to appreciate the power of teamwork. I hope there will be more events like this in the future so that pickleball can gain wider popularity in Baoding," said Guo Yingqiu, a pickleball enthusiast.

While sports focus on physical activities, they also help boost the local economy. Streets surrounding the sports center were packed with vendors selling products like table tennis rackets and snacks.

Chinese cities have also benefited from hosting sporting events. Over the past month, China hosted several international competitions, including the 2024 China Open tennis tournament in Beijing. Ticket sales exceeded 80 million yuan (over 11.3 million U.S. dollars), reflecting a 60 percent increase from the previous year.

This year's tournament also attracted more sponsorships. The 2024 Wuhan Open saw a rise in viewership and revenue, driven by an influx of out-of-town visitors. Of the 180,000 spectators, more than 44 percent traveled to Wuhan for the tournament, contributing significantly to the local economy, particularly in the food and hospitality sectors.

"Sports events are a powerful tool for fostering new types of consumption and expanding existing markets. Moving forward, we aim to develop the sports event economy by creating an ecosystem that unleashes the sector's potential and cultivates a sustainable consumer market," said Chen Jie, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports.

Latest reports indicate that bookings for outdoor sports in the first half of this year surged by nearly 60 percent. With the winter sports season approaching, China anticipates further growth in the sports sector nationwide.

Rise of fitness events in China to fuel economic growth

Deliberately targeting civilian service institutions in Iran by the United States and Israel is the biggest operational challenge facing humanitarian workers, according to Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The United States and Israel on Saturday launched strikes against Iran, plunging the war-torn Middle East into a new round of violent conflicts. Iran has retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region.

A large-scale offensive jointly conducted by Washington and Tel Aviv on Saturday struck a girls' elementary school in southern Iran's Minab, home to a military base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and killed over 160 pupils.

"The first attack targeted a girls' primary school in the city of Minab. It was a brutal and sad incident that was unprecedented in the history of humanity. More than 168 children aged 7, 8, and at most 9 and a half years old were martyred. The school was attacked in two phases, and unconventional weapons were used in this assault," Kolivand said.

At least seven hospitals and emergency stations in Iran, including Tehran's Gandhi Hospital, were struck by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Sunday night, causing widespread destruction and casualties.

The Iranian official framed these attacks as a fundamental violation of international laws.

"Our challenges are these direct attacks on the service providers. Just today, five of my colleagues were injured. And this is against humanitarian law, against the basic principles of the Geneva Conventions and against all international laws. One of our challenges is that international institutions are almost ineffective and we do not see any trace of it. That is, we do not feel any vital signs of it. These are our main challenges. We have no internal challenges," he said.

Iranian Red Crescent chief decries US-Israeli attacks on service institutions