The State Council, China's Cabinet, approved a five-year National Fitness Program on Thursday, which gives guidelines for deepening sports reform, increasing participation in sports, advocating national fitness and promoting a healthy China.

Liu Peng, director of the General Administration of Sport of China, said the program intends to make fitness a "national business card".

According to Liu, in the five years to 2020, China will promote a new concept of national fitness and health, enhance the scientific guidance on fitness and encourage the public to participate in physical exercise.

Meanwhile, the General Administration of Sport will encourage the elderly to keep fit in order to help cope with the aging society.

According to the plan, the number of people that exercise regularly is expected to reach 435 million. In addition, the total scale of consumption on sports will reach an accumulated 1.5 trillion yuan (272 billion) over the five years, which means national fitness will become a new momentum to promote the development of the sports industry, drive domestic demand and build a new economic growth point.