As temperature gets higher and flowers start to bloom, people in China cannot wait to go out and experience the beauty that Spring brings to them, which helps boost the selling of outdoor goods.
At a sporting goods store in Wuhan City of central China's Hubei Province, outdoor jackets and hiking backpacks are among the best-selling products.
"This time, I plan to go hiking in a high-attitude area. I will buy some clothes suitable for various scenarios to adapt to local diurnal temperature variation," said Mr. Zhou, a customer.
"Since March, our customer volume has doubled that of last year, with a marked increase in sales," said Han Wending, supervisor of a sporting goods store.
To cope with the high demand in outdoor products, scientific research institutions have also been stepping up their research and development efforts to upgrade goods.
As outdoor jacket is one of the most popular items, research institutions have devoted their efforts to improving its internal fabric, which has a vital bearing on breathability and water-resistance of the final products.
"Materials for outdoor jackets have been upgrading. For now, nanometer film has been used as the waterproof breathable layer. The diameter of nanofiber only accounts for one in hundredths of hair. They can be welded together and form a comprehensive net structure," said Duan Feng, associate researcher of a local nanometer film lab.
The Action Plan to Promote the Construction of Outdoor Sports Facilities and Service Enhancement (2023-2025), released in October 2023 by the National Development and Reform Commission together with the General Administration of Sport and other departments, set a target of 3 trillion yuan for the outdoors industry by 2025.
"From smart wearable devices to lightweight and high-strength new materials, from virtual reality and augmented reality technology, these have provided outdoor sports enthusiasts with a brand new consumption experience and opened up new growth paths for the consumer market," said Zhang Peisheng, deputy director of China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association.
Spring outing boosts outdoor gear consumption
Kirsty Coventry was elected as the 10th president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday, making history as the first woman and the first African to lead the global Olympic movement.
The election was conducted through a secret ballot by over 100 IOC members during the 144th IOC Session in Greece. The 41-year-old Zimbabwean, who won the vote in the first round, will officially take office after June 23, succeeding Thomas Bach, who has served as president since 2013.
In the first round of voting, a total of 97 valid ballots were cast since IOC members from a candidate's National Olympic Committee (NOC) were not eligible to vote. Coventry received 49 votes, securing the majority from the valid votes needed for the election. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. finished second with 28 votes.
Coventry's presidency is set for an eight-year term, with the possibility of seeking a four-year extension.
At the first press conference after her election, Coventry highlighted that the bond between the international sports governing body and China is very strong, and she vows to strengthen the relationships with every single member.
"The relationship between the IOC and China is very strong, it always has been and we will continue that way. For the IOC, we represent 206 national Olympic Committees and many different international federations so the relationships with every single individual is extremely important. And that would be something I would take my time with over the next few months, then again also with the IOC members. So the entire stakeholder group will be able to take time to really get to know each other and to strengthen on those relationships," Coventry said.
A former Olympic swimming champion, Coventry is one of Africa's most decorated athletes, having won seven Olympic medals, including two golds. She has been an IOC member since 2013 and also served as chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission, where she played a crucial role in advocating for athletes' rights and welfare.
"I would like to congratulate Mrs. Kirsty Coventry for her election as the 10th president of the IOC. I think she will have a very strong mandate with this clear winning of the first round, which is also giving a great signal of unity for the Olympic movement," Bach said after the election.
Other candidates also expressed their support for Coventry's leadership.
"It will give her a very very strong, extremely strong support from the IOC membership to start her presidency. So I think it's a good result," said Samaranch Jr.
"About the next step is to work with the president, so I congratulate Kirsty Coventry, she has done an amazing campaign. The result is clear, so I just told her that we will be behind her," said David Lappartient, another candidate.
Coventry has served as Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation since 2018, where she has focused on developing grassroots sports initiatives and enhancing opportunities for young people across the country to engage in sports.
The 144th IOC Session also saw the election of Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant as new vice president and the confirmation of boxing as part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics program.
Kirsty Coventry becomes first female and first African IOC president
