China’s sports and fitness industry has changed enormously since in the last decade and it will continue to grow. Now with the Olympics, WTO and opening to new ideas, the general population is being exposed to new ideas and techniques.

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, is an international multi-sport event taking place every four years and comprising summer and winter games. Originally held in ancient Greece, they were revived by a French nobleman, Pierre Frèdy, Baron de Coubertin in the late 19th century. The Games of the Olympiad, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every fourth year since 1896, with the exception of the years during the World Wars. A special edition for winter sports, the Olympic Winter Games, was established in 1924. Originally these were held in the same year as the Summer Olympics, but starting with 1994 the Winter Games are in between, two years after the Games of the Olympiad. The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing in the People's Republic of China from August 8, 2008 to August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony to take place at 8 p.m. on August 8, 2008 (08-08-08 - the number 8 stands for prosperity in Chinese culture). Some events like the Beach Volleyball, Sailing and Open Waters Swimming will be held in the coastal city of Qingdao. On July 8, 2005, the International Olympic Committee announced that Hong Kong will hold the equestrian events at the site of the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Fo Tan, Sha Tin. The facilities of the Sports Institute may be moved to Wu Kai Sha. This will be the second time the same season of Olympics Games has been hosted by two members of the International Olympic Committee. (A similar arrangement was in place between Melbourne of Australia and Stockholm of Sweden for the 1956 Summer Olympics). On October 28 2005 The UK's Guardian newspaper reported that a new discipline of 10km open-water swimming for men and women will be added to the Summer Olympic schedule in 2008.