Game on for a healthy sports industry

Cabinet encourages more listings, foreign investment in athletic sector

China issued a national plan on Monday for the development of its fast-growing sports industry, encouraging more companies in the field to go public and attract foreign investment.

The industry's value may exceed 5 trillion yuan ($815.6 billion) by 2025, the State Council, or cabinet, said in a statement. The industry is expected to account for about 1 percent of GDP by then compared with 0.6 percent in 2012, analysts said.