STORY: China's Gen-Z embraces broader range of athletic opportunities
SHOOTING TIME: FILE, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 8, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:08
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of sports for the younger generation
2. various of a middle school in Guling Town, China's Guangxi
3. various of students climbing
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NONG HUAQIANG, Vice principal of Guling Town Junior High School
5. various of students in a climbing lesson
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WEI DEFENG, Member of the sport climbing team at Guling Town Junior High School
7. various of students climbing
8. various of a young athlete surfing

STORYLINE:

China's younger generations are embracing a wider variety of sports now. 
   
Thanks to economic growth and a shifting culture, China's Gen-Z now has access to a broader range of athletic opportunities that previous generations did not have.

Moreover, unconventional sports like climbing and skateboarding have been included in the physical education and health curriculum in several provinces, reflecting a broader acceptance of these sports in children's education.

At a middle school in Guling Town, located in Mashan county of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, sport climbing lessons are integrated into the regular curriculum.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): NONG HUAQIANG, Vice principal of Guling Town Junior High School
"Currently, our school offers a sport climbing class once a week for students (from seventh and eighth grades). This allows them to learn, support, and experience this kind of sport."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WEI DEFENG, Member of the sport climbing team at Guling Town Junior High School
"I've been training for almost a year. When you reach the top, you'll feel a sense of joy. As your speed improves, you'll experience even greater satisfaction, feeling that you've made significant progress."

This burgeoning interest has naturally stimulated related industries, particularly in equipment manufacturing and sport training.
   
According to the China Mountaineering Association, the number of climbing gyms on the Chinese mainland reached 636 in 2023, a 31 percent increase from the previous year. 
   
A report released by China's e-commerce giant JD.com also indicates that in the first half of this year, transaction volume for climbing chalk, helmets, and shoes increased year-on-year by 151 percent, 42 percent, and 40 percent respectively, while transaction volumes for surf swimsuits, leashes and surfboards grew by 473 percent, 175 percent and 40 percent respectively.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)