Beijing Sport University unveil three sport initiatives for the One Belt One Road policy

At the recent FIBA World Basketball Summit 2018 held in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province on October 3 and 4, Beijing Sport University Chairman, Cao Weidong, shared with the audience in his keynote speech three sports projects which they are currently working on or have planned, taking advantage of the One Belt One Road policy of China. These three projects aim to tighten sports connections and exchanges between the countries along the One Belt One Road route and to improve Chinese sports talent. 

The first initiative is a One Belt One Road scholarship for international students from countries along the One Belt One Road route. The university will recruit students to study in China at the Beijing Sport University. These international students need to be specializing or majoring in sports so that they are able to exchange ideas with Chinese students in their chosen sports, whilst learning the Chinese language and Chinese culture. The university will invest a significant amount of CNY5m each year to recruit these international students. For 2018, their emphasis is on students who specialize in basketball. 

The second project is the setting up of a sports association/union between several sport universities from countries along the One Belt One Road route to increase and improve talent development and research collaboration and support. Currently, the universities that have agreed to join this union are mostly from central and eastern Europe as well as from other parts of the world. The formal union will be announced when the Beijing Sport University celebrates its 65th year this year. 

Lastly, they are currently having discussions with some countries to create a new series of One Belt One Road university sports event which could include basketball, football and other sports. It is likely to be officially launched in 2019. They hope that by establishing such an event system, they can increase the educational quality of talents. 

The FIBA World Basketball Summit 2018 is the first edition of the FIBA-organized summit, with the summit taking place in Xi’an, China again for the next two years. More than 200 delegates attended the summit this year, with high-profile leaders from the world of basketball in attendance such as the FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, the NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the CBA Chairman Yao Ming.

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick