BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) — Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China sets targets for leading sports nation building by 2030
China has released a plan for building a leading sports nation, setting targets to improve public fitness, expand the sports industry and strengthen elite athletic performance by 2030.
The blueprint, covering the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), was issued by China’s General Administration of Sport.
Under the plan, China aims to increase per capita sports venue space to about four square meters, raise the proportion of residents who exercise regularly to around 40 percent, and boost the share of the population with a good level of physical fitness to 31.1 percent.
The plan also calls for China to remain among the world’s leading nations in the number of world titles won, while expanding the sports industry’s total value to more than seven trillion yuan (1.03 trillion U.S. dollars).
2. China outlasts United States 3-2 in women’s VNL Finals quarterfinal thriller
China advanced to the semifinals after a thrilling five-set victory over the United States at the women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Finals in Macao, China on July 23.
The United States made the stronger start and took the opening set 25-15. The second set was closely contested, with China edging the Americans 25-23. After the teams split the next two sets, the match went to a deciding fifth set.
China fell behind in the decider but fought back to level the score and regain control. The host held firm to take the set 15-13, sealing victory and the place in the semifinals.
Zhuang Yushan led China with 17 points, while Gong Xiangyu and Tang Xin added 15 and 13, respectively.
In the semifinals, China will face Trkiye, while Brazil takes on defending champion Italy.
3. China to face Iran, UAE, DPRK in Asian Games men’s football draw
China will face Iran, the United Arab Emirates and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Group B of the 2026 Asian Games men’s football tournament following the draw in Nagoya, Japan on July 23.
China was among the top seeds in the men’s draw after finishing runner-up at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in January, joining host Japan, defending champion South Korea and Vietnam in Pot 1.
The men’s tournament will feature 15 teams following Iraq’s withdrawal, with the top two sides from each of the four groups advancing to the quarterfinals.
The women’s competition features 12 teams divided into three groups of four, with the top two sides in each group and the two best third-placed teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
China’s women were drawn alongside the Philippines, Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, China in Group G.
The football tournaments will take place from September 14 to October 3 at seven venues across Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka and Osaka prefectures.
4. China’s Yao/Hu break world records to win 10m air pistol mixed team gold at World Cup
China’s reigning world champions Yao Qianxun and Hu Kai broke world records in both qualification and final to win 10m air pistol mixed team as the ISSF World Cup started on July 22.
Having set a new qualification mark of 591 points earlier in the day, the duo scored 488.4 points in the final, surpassing the previous world record of 487.7 set by India’s Palak Palak and Mukesh Nelavalli in April.
Their compatriots Shen Yiyao and Bu Shuaihang, who will represent China in the mixed team event at the upcoming 20th Asian Games, added a silver with 485.7 points in what was the tournament’s first medal event.
China’s Olympic champions Sheng Lihao and Zhang Changhong secured a one-two finish in the men’s 10m air rifle final.
Sheng, a two-time gold medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, topped qualification with 637.5 points before carrying that form into the final. The 21-year-old led from the opening series and was never seriously challenged, finishing with 253.9 points to claim his 12th ISSF World Cup title.
The victory was Sheng’s first World Cup gold medal on home soil.
Zhang, the Tokyo Olympic champion in the men’s 50m rifle three positions, arrived in Hangzhou after winning gold at the previous World Cup stop. After narrowly advancing to the eight-man final, he delivered a composed performance to take silver with 252.4 points.
5. Shi advances after opponent retires, Chen beats Sindhu at badminton China Open
Top Chinese players Shi Yuqi and Chen Yufei both advanced to the quarterfinals of the badminton China Open on July 23.
Men’s singles top seed Shi progressed for the second consecutive match following an opponent’s retirement. He lost the opening game 21-17 to Thailand’s Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul before taking the second 21-2.
The Thai player retired with an injury in the deciding game with Shi leading 12-6, sending the world No. 1 through to the last eight.
Fellow Chinese player Weng Hongyang also booked a quarterfinal place after battling back to beat Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao 20-22, 21-11, 21-18.
In the women’s singles, Chen produced a dramatic comeback against India’s P. V. Sindhu. She lost the opening game 21-16 before edging the second 22-20 and taking the decider 21-18 in 89 minutes.
China’s second seed Wang Zhiyi cruised past South Korea’s Sim Yu-jin 21-16, 21-15.
The tournament runs through July 26.
