After NBA’s return, China calls for foreign investment in domestic basketball
Officials target greater international influence for country’s basketball, and want China’s men’s team to play in Olympics regularly by 2035
China has announced plans aimed at encouraging foreign investment in domestic basketball, weeks after the NBA returned to the country and voiced an intention to expand its operations there.
Among a package of sports development measures unveiled on Thursday, the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) paved the way for an opening up of basketball by calling for the investment of high-quality foreign capital in domestic professional leagues and clubs.
It also called for overseas league companies, training institutions and brokerage firms to establish regional headquarters in China.
The move follows this year’s resumption of NBA matches in China after a six-year absence, via a multi-year deal to stage events in Macau.
Besides investment plans, there were targets for the national basketball teams and regarding participation.
The men’s team were given the goal of first qualifying for the 2028 Olympics, then by 2035 featuring at the Games consistently. China managed that between 1984 and 2016 before missing the past two editions in Tokyo and Paris.
By 2030, the number of youths playing the sport should be “significantly improved and increased”, while the strength and international influence of Chinese basketball should be greatly enhanced, the GASC said.