European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber) signed a five-year agreement with the General Administration of Sport of China (GAS) on Monday, committing both sides to cooperating on the development of sporting activities, and the promotion of sports-related industries and events.

The European Chamber fully supports the GAS initiative on the integration of sports and education, and the development of youth sports in China.

To this end, the European Chamber has created a Sports Forum to seek new areas for EU-China cooperation at both the sporting and business levels.

The Sports Forum will work together with the GAS to promote interactions among companies and brands in the sports industry in both Europe and China to achieve these goals.

The forum will host a series of events and seminars, and will work with local governments to implement long-term sporting and educational activities for the benefit of the public and the development of society.

The Sports Forum aims to empower existing school and community sports programs in China, covering individual and team sports, general fitness, physical education, and wellness.

"European values are deeply rooted in open and fair competition on a level playing field," said J?rg Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. "This initiative demonstrates our commitment to continue working with China to embed these principles in both the sporting and business worlds."

"We are thrilled that the signing of this agreement will bring European sports companies, government players and Chinese communities closer together," said Rouven Kasper, chair of the European Chamber’s Sports Forum. "Our goal is to encourage more young people to live healthier lives while learning the importance of respecting fair competition and embracing diversity."