#China #Shenyang #Rowing Development #Shenyang 2025 #Sports Economy

Shenyang Launches the 2025 Rowing Development Index

On September 5, 2025, Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province in northeast China, unveiled the 2025 China (Shenyang) Rowing Development Index, a significant step in cultivating the region's economic landscape through sports. This initiative showcases how a traditional industrial base can evolve by adopting innovative concepts like the "sport+" model. This model ties sports development into broader urban planning and economic strategies, fostering a competitive environment for high-level rowing competitions.

According to the report, Shenyang’s rowing landscape has seen drastic improvements thanks to the city’s resources from the nearby Hun River and various preferential policies designed to promote sports. The report highlighted a remarkable increase in Shenyang’s competitiveness as a host city for rowing events, noting a 14.58% rise in the number of high-level rowing contests and a 16.26% increase in athlete participation—reaching scores of 211.54 points and 510 points respectively.

Shenyang is establishing itself as a key player in the rowing world. In late August, it hosted the prestigious 2025 Asian Rowing U-19/U-23 Championships, attracting 258 athletes from 15 countries and regions. This event not only demonstrated the city's commitment to rowing but also showcased its ambitions to promote a modern, inclusive, and environmentally conscious image to the international community. Shi Shengyuan, the head of the organizing committee's foreign affairs department, remarked on the event’s role in serving as a bridge of cultural exchange between Chinese and Asian youth through the love of sports.

With a favorable policy backdrop propelling the growth of water sports across the country, analysts like Han Jiaxing from the Xinhua Index Research Institute foresee Shenyang benefiting significantly. The region is successfully integrating sports with tourism and local industries, creating a dynamic pathway for development. The increasing attendance at rowing events contributes to local economies, proving that sports can have substantial economic impacts.

Shenyang has become a hub for activities combining sports and cultural tourism, as evident by the establishment of about 30 local racing boat manufacturers and over 20 registered rowing clubs. This diverse engagement is helping to elevate visitor traffic and stimulate local economic growth through thematic cultural activities around rowing events.

As a result, rowing is more than just a competitive sport in Shenyang; it has become an avenue for significant urban development, illustrating the seamless integration of sport with various consumption sectors. By fostering a flood of participation and developing robust local infrastructures for rowing, Shenyang is crafting not only a vibrant sports culture but also solidifying its economic future. With continued support from government policies and enthusiastic community engagement, Shenyang is poised to ride the wave of burgeoning water sports in China, setting a standard for other cities to follow.