The sports industry can be a powerful driver of China's service sector as both the passion and economic power of the country's sports fans continues to grow, according to former Chinese professional footballer Sun Jihai.
Sun, who enjoyed a successful career playing in China and England -- including a notable six-year spell with Manchester City -- was speaking to the China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Beijing, where he gave his assessment on how football events can greatly promote consumption.
He noted the positive impact that traveling fans can have on the local economy when heading to other cities to cheer on their teams.
"For example, the team from my hometown Dalian recently traveled to Shenyang to play the local team in a provincial derby. Ten thousand Dalian fans also traveled to Shenyang for the game. Some took a special train, while others drove to the city. Along the way, they were warmly welcomed by local fan groups. This generated significant foot traffic and economic activity," said Sun.
Sun, who is now devoting himself to the training programs of young players in China, said he remains confident in the future of football in China and its continued economic potential, citing the emergence of the amateur provincial leagues which have proven hugely popular at the grassroots level across the country.
"We're committed to this because we have confidence in football. That confidence stems from the fact that, as you can see, there are now cultural and sports events and amateur leagues all over China, which shows that people still place a high value on soccer. Secondly, we're confident that we can develop these children into outstanding players at least in China," said Sun.
Official figures show China's sports industry surpassed 5 trillion yuan (over 732 billion U.S. dollars) in total value in 2025. The government is aiming to further tap into this rising fan demand and unlock sports consumption, with the sector projected to exceed 7 trillion yuan by 2030.
China's service sector is already driving 60 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, with efforts ongoing to grow the country's services sector to hit 100 trillion yuan (over 14.5 trillion U.S. dollars) by 2030.
Former Chinese football star says sports industry can drive growth of China's service sector
Sports industry can drive growth of China's service sector: insider
