ABSTRACT
Sport has, in general, played an important role in China’s political, economic, cultural and social life since the People’s Republic of China was established in October 1949. Since the 1980s Chinese society has undergone dramatic transformations, from planned economy to market economy, and from orthodox Leninist society to neo-liberal socialist society with Chinese character. Sport has played its part, as have education, the economy and other social institutions, in reflecting and stimulating the change. In order to understand the change, a review is necessary of sports policies developed in response to different political, economic and cultural agenda in different historical periods. This chapter will examine the structure of the sports governing bodies and organizations and analyze the dominant pattern of sports policy making and particular policy issues in China between 1949 and 2009.
