The outbreak of COVID-19 has drawn greater attention to healthier lifestyles and public expenditure on sports and relevant goods is on the rise.

Earlier this month, the country unveiled a new five-year plan to encourage public participation in physical exercise. Industry experts said the blueprint is of great significance, and is expected to chart a new course for sports development across the country. It will also create more business opportunities and unlock more market potential in sports and relevant industries.

Bizard said sports will be one of the fastest-growing industries in China over the next five years.

"We believe China is not only a retail market for Decathlon but also it is the place for us to develop world-leading smart retail solutions through innovation."

According to Decathlon, it releases more than 3,000 new products of more than 20 brands each year, covering a wide range of fields, such as water sports, cycling, tennis, table tennis and golf.

Bizard said the company will develop more products to meet the needs of the Chinese market.

A total of 60 foreign investment projects worth over $5.85 billion, the second batch this year, were recently signed with the Shanghai government, further reinforcing the city's leading position for global investment.

Examples include Porsche, a German sports car manufacturer, settled in Shanghai in June.

Austrian fashion brand Swarovski will unveil its first global flagship store in Shanghai after its brand upgrading in November.

French theme park Puy du Fou is building the world's largest immersive performance theater in the city's Xuhui district, with an investment of 500 million yuan. The theater will cover more than 46,000 square meters and is expected to open in June 2022.